| Saturday - October 10, 2009 Melanoma, the kind of skin cancer that kills, is on the rise. So you'd better visit your dermatologist ASAP. At least, that's the opinion of many people in the cancer business -- a business that makes billions of dollars a year by detecting and treating skin cancers. Advice like this scares people. And stimulates them to spend extra money on medical care. If that money were keeping people alive, I'd have no gripe. But there is a flaw in the logic behind it that you need to be aware of. Let me explain. A recent study, published in the September issue of the British Journal of Dermatology, examined 3,971 cases of skin cancer. Based on their data, the researchers determined that the incidence of potentially deadly melanoma had increased 48 percent from 1991 to 2004. A similar study, this one from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported an increase of 44 percent. But in studying the data, Dr. Nick Levell at Norwich University in the UK recognized an error made by both studies: The increases they identified were in early-stage melanoma. There were no significant increases in later-stage melanoma.
Does that matter? Yes, indeed. Here's why. In the early stages, it is difficult to distinguish between a malignant lesion and a benign mole. Also, some early-stage lesions grow very, very slowly. By testing people earlier, doctors are detecting more of these moles and slow-growth lesions. But many of them are not and never will be fatal. So when the researchers concluded that the number of deadly melanoma cases was on the rise, they were wrong. What is happening here is the same thing that has happened with other forms of cancer. Doctors have become more adept at "early diagnosis." As a result, the incidence of reported cases goes up. And that, as I said, is great for people in the cancer business --dermatologists, pharmaceutical companies, surgeons, and hospitals. At the same time, the "survival" rate after a diagnosis of early-stage cancer naturally goes way up. And the industry uses that statistic to sell more chemicals, radiation, and surgery -- without proof that it does any good.
Just because someone has an impressive medical degree doesn't mean you should pay attention to what they say. Dr. Julide Celebi, an associate professor of dermatology at Columbia, told the press that the afore-mentioned studies signal a real increase in deadly melanoma that is the result of "environmental exposure" -- specifically, exposure to the sun. But Dr. Levell disagreed. "Squamus and basal cell carcinomas are no doubt caused by sunlight," he said. "And those cancers [which are easily treatable and rarely fatal] are concentrated on the face and neck. "But the diagnoses of melanoma in the registry were mostly on the back, trunk, and limbs, areas not consistently exposed to the sun. This means that exposure to sunlight cannot explain the increased number of lesions reported as malignant." Just imagine if you were one of Dr. Celebi's patients. You'd believe that exposure to the sun causes melanoma. You'd be slathering on sunblock and spending lots of money to have perfectly innocent moles dug out of your face and arms. In my jaundiced view, the whole thing is a scam. The truth is that sunlight actually helps prevent melanoma. And sunblock might increase your chances of getting skin cancer because most have three or four active carcinogenic ingredients, some of which are activated by the sun. To find out more about one of the most widespread medical frauds in our generation -- and what you can do about it -- check out the premier book on the subject by Dr. Al Sears and ETR's own Jon Herring. It's called Your Best Health Under the Sun.
When you are an early riser, getting up two hours later seems like you are losing half a day. My back was cramping yesterday, so I took a muscle relaxer last night. I slept fitfully and didn't get out of bed till 8:00. That's at least two hours "late" for me. By the time I got into the office it was after 9:00. Already, the place was buzzing. No sooner did I open my laptop than Jon Herring was at my door, inviting me to an editorial meeting. After that, he told me, Jason wanted to go over some marketing copy. And so it went. It's 11:45, and I've just begun writing -- something I usually do at 7:00 or 7:30. And because the official workday has begun, it's likely I won't write as well as I would have in the quiet of the early morning. I know that late risers hate it when I get on this soapbox. But as a former "night person," I'm here to tell you: Early to bed, early to rise ...
If you want people to do as you wish, don't tell them, sell them. This is a simple rule that applies to almost any situation. I not only use it in my advertising copy, I use it to persuade my: - employees to act on my ideas
- clients to follow through on my recommendations
- vendors to give me good terms
- colleagues to do deals with me
- children to make sensible life choices
- wife to be nice to me
And I've found it works in five cases out of six. (You can guess which of the above I'm least successful with.) A small example: I returned from a meeting in Paris with an idea that I thought could greatly improve the profitability of one of my clients. But there was a problem. My recommendation was going to require him to make a fundamental change in the way he was doing business. He was already busy keeping the old system going. This new idea was going to seem like too much work for an unsure outcome. My initial impulse was to simply tell him my idea and then, if he objected, argue with him. Instead, I e-mailed him the following note: Paul, I have a great idea for you. It's an idea I gave to X in London five years ago. He used it to create a $10 million + business. Nobody is doing this in the States yet. You could be the first. Here's what you need to know now: - It is easy to do.
- It is perfect for you.
- It is a clever twist on something you already know.
- But it is much more powerful than what you are doing now.
I can show you how to implement this idea in less than half an hour. I can give you a blueprint you can hand to your key people so they will know exactly what to do. I assure you that you will have this up and running in less than two weeks. And if the results I've seen elsewhere hold true for you, your sales will increase by at least 300 percent by the end of the year. One caveat: I like this idea so much that I'm tempted to give it to another client who has a similar business. I'm holding it for you -- but only if you can assure me you will give it your full attention. What do you say? Shall we schedule a meeting to go over it? Yours truly, Michael Conclusion: He wrote back immediately to schedule a meeting. When I presented the idea a week later, he brought a tape recorder and made notes on every point. My presentation itself was half information and half selling. Needless to say, he bought it -- and it's already starting to work for him. Next time you want to tell someone to do something, take a bit of extra time and sell it instead.
Are you taking CoQ10? Everybody should, Total Health Breakthroughs Editor Melanie Segala said in her most recent "Undercover." It's her favorite supplement. And for good reason. It's a powerful antioxidant. It promotes heart health. It boosts energy. And that's just a short list of its benefits. Here's something from one of her readers who's ready to try it: "This was like reading an article somebody wrote about ME! I am 65 and am fortunate that I take no medications. But my energy has been waning and it is exactly as you mentioned. Around 2-3 p.m. I start fading. And it is a real effort to finish the afternoon, prepare a meal for my family, and pass out in bed. I get MORE than enough sleep. I go to bed around 9 p.m. and get up at 7 or 8 a.m. That's 10 hours or more, and still I have very limited energy. "I just wanted to say THANK YOU! I have heard about CoQ10 but never really checked it's benefits. They say the teacher comes when the student is ready ... and boy am I ready. I am getting on board with this supplement, and I thank you for laying out the facts!! I am excited about what my results may be!" Trisha
[Ed. Note: Michael Masterson welcomes your questions and comments. Send him a message at AskMichael@ETRFeedback.com.] | 
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