In this segment, Dr. Dellavalle discusses what melanoma is with Jodi who was diagnosed with a melanoma and survived it.
- Watch the video below, or Read More.
- Interested in more videos in this series? Melanoma ~ Patient Conversations.
Melanoma is a cancer that almost always happens on your skin. It is often a mole that has changed.
Melanoma is diagnosed by a dermatologist or other health care provider biopsying the suspicious lesion. Some people are in a higher risk pool. Jodi is because she has fair skin and red hair. Jod’s skin also doesn’t tan well, but rather burns.
Jodi has a high number of moles; having a lot of moles is an indicator for possible melanoma in the future. It’s a serious and potentially deadly form of cancer. It can be very aggressive so it is important to have your skin checked if you have a changiong lesion, are high risk or worried about skin cancer.
• University of Colorado Denver Cosmetic Specialists
Dr. Dellavalle is a practicing academic dermatologist at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Denver VA Medical Center. Dr. Dellavalle studied philosophy as an undergraduate at UCLA and completed MD degree and PhD (molecular genetics) degrees at the University of Chicago. He completed his dermatology residency at the University of Colorado in 2001 and a Masters of Science in Public Health in 2004. He is on the faculty of the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the Colorado School of Public Health as an Associate Professor of Dermatology and Public Health. Dr. Dellavalle has published over 100 peer reviewed publications and numerous book chapters. For fun Dr. Dellavalle enjoys vacationing with his wife and children, swimming, running, gardening and cooking.
Jodi graduated with her Master’s in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health in 2009 with a focus on Health Systems, Policy, and Management. Currently, Jodi is a faculty member at the University of Colorado Denver School of Pharmacy (SOP) and a grant-writer and researcher for the Departments of Dermatology at the VA Medical Center and the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. As a SOP faculty member, Jodi helped develop a core curriculum in public health, a course she now teaches to first-year pharmacy students. She also oversees a service-learning course aimed at developing the communication skills and community involvement of future pharmacists. Jodi’s grants and research interests include melanoma, international research collaboration, and comparative-effectiveness research. Outside of work, Jodi has a wonderful family: a supportive husband, a 4-year-old daughter, a 12-year-old Labrador retriever, and a 1-year-old cat.
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