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THE INSTITUTE NEWS
January, 2009
A Better You - Fast Featuring Dr. Greg Morganroth
Get party-ready with these quick fixes for face and body.
With the stresses of a flailing economy and the holidays just around the corner, you may have awakened to notice those folds between your brows deepening, or your once plump cheeks giving way to gravity.
If you're looking for that quick beauty pick-me-up that's a step above the traditional spa facial - but short of going under the knife - you could be the perfect candidate for one of the many non-surgical treatments available at your local dermatologist's office or nearby medi-spa.
Commonly referred to as "lunchtime treatments," the vast array of facial rejuvenation and body adjustments, which require little to no downtime, have recently grown in popularity because of their effectiveness, availability and significantly lower cost as compared with invasive surgical procedures says Dr. Greg Morganroth, a dermtologic surgeon and founder of the Bay Area-based California Skin Institute....
December 8, 2009
New Flagship Opens
Our new San Jose/Los Gatos building at 2420 Samaritan Drive is officially open for patient care as of December 8, 2009. The doctors and staff look forward to seeing you in our new free-standing Skin Institute. The Mountain View, Los Altos, and Saratoga offices remain open with the same providers.
June, 2009 - Dr. Morganroth featured in advertisement by El Camino Hospital in both Time Magazine and Sports Illustrated last month.
CANCER CRUSADERS
Count on us for skin cancer expertise that's more than skin deep.
Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, and despite the increased us of sunscreen, incidence is on the rise. But nearly all skin cancers can be successfully treated and cured when caught early. You can count on the Cancer Center at El Camino Hospital for expert help, from prevention to detection to treatment, should it be necessary. We offer a comprehensive range of treatments including surgery and radiation, as well as chemotherapy, laser therapy and immunotherapy. And we are one of the only area hospitals with a board-certified dermatology surgeon specializing in Moh's micrographic surgery (Dr. Greg Morganroth), the most advanced and effective skin cancer treatment available, with a cure rate of 99 percent and less potential for scarring. It's all part of our commitment to do whatever it takes to deliver world-class cancer care.
To schedule your free screening appointment, call today. Space is limited.
800-216-5556
January 1, 2009
Flagship San Jose/Los Gatos Location Opens Summer 2009
Dr. Morganroth and the physicians and staff of CSI are pleased to announce the planned opening of the new San Jose/Los Gatos location at 2420 Samaritan Drive in Fall 2009.
This 10,000 square foot, two story, state-of-the-art facility will be the flagship office of the California Skin Institute (CSI) and set a new standard for dermatology offices in the San Francisco Bay Area. Designed to provide leading edge and convenient care for our patients, the building will include a free standing Medicare-approved outpatient surgery center, full-service pathology laboratory, full-time Mohs surgery unit, ultraviolet light center, laser center, skin bar and retail center, pharmacy, conference center, and centralized business office. The new building will be our fourth location replacing the two offices in the 2400 Samaritan Drive location down the street. CSI will continue to see patients in the three other offices in Mountain View, Saratoga, and Los Altos. » View Full Image
November 17, 2008
Sun Lover's Wake Up Call. El Camino Hospital, Your Guide to Women's Services
Katharine Smith always loved the sun. A 38-year old mother of two, aged 3 and 6, she is a tournament water skier at Santa Clara Water Ski Club and an accomplished athlete who enjoys surfing, mountain biking, and swimming.
Growing up, she spent many family vacations in San Diego enjoying water sports and the beach. She faithfully used sunscreen and wore a hat; however, as part of water skiing she was a rotating “spotter,” doing what all water skiers do — sitting on the boat with her feet and legs exposed.
Katharine knew to check her skin, and as she puts it, she is “very freckly.” None of her freckles seemed discolored or abnormally shaped. But one day while shaving her legs, she felt a hard bump underneath one of her freckles on her shin. Thinking that if it were anything serious it would change in shape or color, she waited 7 to 8 months before finally being seen by her primary care physician.
Upon examining her, Katharine says her doctor “became kind of quiet.” Then she referred Katharine to dermatological surgeon Dr. Greg Morganroth, saying “he is the best doctor to get rid of skin cancer.” Dr. Morganroth performed a biopsy, which resulted in her diagnosis of stage 1 melanoma — the worst type of skin cancer.
To get rid of the melanoma, Dr Morganroth performed Mohs micrographic surgery, an advanced procedure to remove the cancer and as little normal tissue as possible. Using only a local anesthetic, he removed a thin layer of skin containing the tumor in the shape of a pie. This pie-like specimen was divided into slices for freezing and then examination in his on-site Mohs lab. The advantage of this approach over other surgical techniques is that in examining the edges or “the crust” of this pie, Dr. Morganroth can be completely certain that the entire surgical margin is free of cancer.
This examination was done in the office, while Katharine waited.
Within a couple of hours, she knew that her melanoma, which showed as only a small spot on the surface, was the size of a quarter underneath and quite deep, but that the margins were clear — all cancer had been removed. “Dr. Morganroth then performed skin grafts like no one else does — taking my own skin from the site which promotes faster healing.”
During Katharine’s follow-up visit, she and Dr. Morganroth decided to take three more biopsies on her upper thigh and, “sure enough, one of them came back as in situ melanoma, a stage just before developing into a melanoma.” Two months later, Dr. Morganroth performed three more biopsies on her arm and found yet another in situ melanoma, which is highly uncommon.
“I am now terrified of the sun. This has changed my life dramatically. Throughout this process, Dr. Morganroth counseled me and helped me. His advice — don’t stop doing what you love. So now my husband and I do all our sports from 6 am to 10 am. And we are all out of the sun completely from 10 to 3 every day. Plus, I wear specially designed and treated protective clothing — pants, long-sleeved shirts, etc. Dr. Morganroth is very confidant that we have caught it all. I have checkups every three months and I feel so lucky to have caught it early enough that it didn’t spread.”
November 3, 2008 - We're pleased to announce the addition of Elizabeth A. Abel, M.D. to the California Skin Institute. After 18 years of solo practice, nationally-recognized dermatologist Dr. Elizabeth Abel is “excited to bring her practice to California Skin Institute of Mountain View”. She “shares the dedication to excellence in dermatology care and looks forward to collaborating with CSI physicians and offering CSI’s advanced technology to her patients”... Learn More about Dr. Abel!
October 8, 2008 - For those of you who have trouble committing to an appointment time, we now offer walk-in appointments each Wednesday at our satelitte office within The Cancer Center at El Camino Hospital's Melchor Pavillion from 2pm-5pm.
Please call our main office at (650) 969-5600 for details and any questions you might have!
September 26, 2008 - Attend our Sept. 25 Skin Rejuvenation Gala? The raffle results are in! Check to see if you're a winner! » View Results
August 28, 2008 - Dr. Morganroth of the California Skin Institute has been invited to author the facelift chapter in the 2nd edition of "Surgery of the Skin."
Considered to be "the" reference textbook for all aesthetic surgeons, Dr. Morganroth is honored to have been selected. Congratulations to Dr. Morganroth and happy writing!
Scheduled for Publication in 2009 and will be available at Amazon.com
August 20, 2008 - We're pleased to announce the addition of Jillian Fraser as Aesthetics Practice Manager to the California Skin Institute. Jillian brings with her a decade of experience in Plastic Surgery and Aesthetics Practice Management. Dedicated to providing clients with extraordinary care, Jillian is well versed in all aspects of surgical and non-surgical skin rejuvenation techniques. Overseeing the Aesthetics Division, Jillian ensures all aspects of the cosmetic practices of California Skin Institute surpass all expectations. In addition, Jillian coordinates all events, community service and marketing opportunities for the organization... Learn More about Jillian Fraser!
June 20, 2008 - We're pleased to announce the addition of Rafael A. Schulze, M.D. to the California Skin Institute. Rafael A. Schulze, M.D. is a board certified dermatologist. He graduated with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Engineering Management (Mechanical) from United State Military Academy. Prior to medical school, Dr Schulze spent several years in remote rural areas in Republic of Panama where he completed numerous humanitarian construction projects rebuilding clinics, schools and farm-to-market roads shortly after Gen. Manuel Noriega’s capture. He received his doctoral degree in medicine, magna cum laude, from University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine... Learn More about Dr. Schulze!
Mountain View, Calif. (May 19, 2008) –EL CAMINO HOSPITAL FREE SKIN CANCER
SCREENING PAYS OFF FOR PARTICIPANTS. Almost seven percent diagnosed with cancer; 45 percent referred for additional consultation.
The statistics didn't surprise the dermatologists who turned out to provide free skin cancer screenings at El Camino Hospital on Saturday, May 17th--but they certainly shocked the 21 persons--about 7% of the 293 people screened--who received "presumptive diagnoses" of skin cancer at the event.. In total, 45% of Saturday's participants were referred for additional consultation or a biopsy. While none of these may actually result in a cancer diagnosis, all of them reflect skin conditions of concern to the examining doctors. (The diagnosed cases all will be biopsied for confirmation.)
"This event potentially saved some lives," said Dr. Greg Morganroth, a dermatologist who helped organize and staff the event, and who surgically removes more than 1700 skin cancers annually. "The statistics this year reaffirm that everyone should be screened regularly."
While nearly all skin cancers can be successfully treated when caught early, many people miss or ignore the warning signs. Even the less threatening types of skin cancer, Squamous and Basal Cell carcinomas, can be terribly disfiguring and occasionally even fatal if not treated promptly. The screening found two clinically obvious cases of Squamous carcinomas and 16 clinically obvious cases of Basal Cell. About 1.25 million of these two cancers crop up annually. Melanomas, the most deadly form of skin cancer, kill 8,000 annually, with about 50,000 new Melanomas being diagnosed each year. The screening turned up three presumed Melanomas, one of which was subsequently confirmed by biopsy.
The vast majority of all skin cancers are caused by excess, unprotected sun exposure--and cumulative damage can result in cancer, despite later use of protective clothing and sunscreen. Self-monitoring for skin cancer--while not a bad idea--isn't foolproof since cancers can form on the scalp or on hard-to-see locations on the back--or even between toes or on the soles of the feet. Cancerous growths also may evolve so slowly that people don't notice or pay attention to the changes. That's why it is always best to be thoroughly screened by a healthcare professional.
"No skin cancer should be taken lightly," Dr. Morganroth said. "Because of the high success rate in treating skin cancer, people may have been lulled into a false sense of security. However, even a few months untreated may allow a Melanoma to become invasive, at which point chances of successful treatment diminish and we have to become much more aggressive. Yet when I ask patients why they waited so long to come in, they often say, 'It didn't look that bad, so I didn't think I needed to worry.'"
"I just hope people are paying attention to these numbers," he said. "Death from skin cancer is 100% preventable if the lesion is caught and treated in its earliest stages. What health investment pays a better dividend than that?"
About El Camino Hospital
Located on a 41-acre campus in the heart of Silicon Valley, El Camino Hospital serves residents in the El Camino Hospital District -- Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Cupertino and portions of Sunnyvale and Palo Alto – as well as those in surrounding communities. Established in 1961, the hospital has delivered the highest level of medical services to the community for more than four decades. Its quality programs and high customer satisfaction rankings have been recognized locally and nationally. In 2005, 2006 2007, and 2008 HealthGrades, a national rating company, named El Camino Hospital a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence, placing it in the top 5% of hospitals nationwide. El Camino Hospital is the first hospital in the Bay Area to have been designated as a nursing magnet hospital by the American Nursing Credentialing Center. Specialties include cardiac care, dialysis, cancer care, maternal child health services, orthopedics, neurosurgery and behavioral health. The hospital is also recognized as a national leader in the use of health information technology to promote patient safety, including barcoding, computerized order entry, electronic medical records and wireless communications.
To learn more about El Camino Hospital and its services, visit our web site at www.elcaminohospital.org. For a physician referral, visit our web site or call the El Camino Health Line at 800-216-5556.
Mountain View, Calif. (May 7, 2008) –They grew up using terms like "healthy tan" and thinking that the first sunburn of the season was a necessary step to lay a base for summer tans. Now, older generations of Americans are paying the price as that early sun damage leads to more and more skin cancer. Yet if recent statistics gathered by the CDC are any indication, many of them still haven't adjusted their behavior.
"One thing is certain," says Dr. Greg Morganroth, a dermatologist who performs more than 1500 skin cancer removal procedures annually. "People aren't taking the necessary steps to protect themselves from this deadly disease."
Morganroth sees the resulting damage firsthand every day. That's why he and other South Bay dermatologists have volunteered to help with the annual free skin cancer screening program on May 17th at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View. Last year, of the 228 people screened at the one-day event, 43 (19 percent) had conditions serious enough to be recommended for biopsy, a procedure that collects a tiny piece of skin for microscopic analysis--and one turned up as melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.
The high number of worrisome growths underscores the prediction that at least one in five Americans will have skin cancer in their lifetimes.
So do results of a series of CDC surveys conducted over three years (1999, 2003, 2004) showing that sunburn prevalence among U.S. adults increased significantly during the period--from 31.8 percent of all adults surveyed reporting at least one sunburn in 1999 to 33.7 percent in 2004--despite ever-increasing warnings about skin cancer and widespread availability of sunscreens and other prevention methods. Even more disturbing--considering that each sunburn magnifies cancer risk--is that more than 7 percent of those surveyed reported four or more sunburns the preceding year.
(The number of respondents ranged from 156,095 in 1999 to 296,027 in 2004.)
"Early detection is critical to successful treatment of melanoma," Morganroth said. "Despite advances in treatment and detection, over 8,000 people die annually of melanoma--and nearly 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Add in the other, less lethal types of skin cancer, and over 1.5 million new cases occur annually in the U.S."
In the face of those facts, why do people seem to actually be increasing their sun exposure? According to the CDC, several factors might be in play. People may be confused by inconsistent advice about how to take precautions, for example. The agency reviewed 20 popular Internet sites about skin cancer prevention and found differing recommendations about what is considered a safe amount of sun exposure, times of day to avoid the sun, how many sunburns increase the risk for skin cancer, and the best types of clothing to use for sun protection. The only three recommendations that were common to all of them were to wear broad-brimmed hats, sunglasses, and use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.
(Two other major risk factors often aren't cited: the fact that smoking and a family history of skin cancer both elevate your risk substantially.)
Confusion may play a role, says Morganroth, but another likely factor is that, especially for the Boomer generation, it's difficult to accept the idea that sun exposure is unhealthy after being raised to believe otherwise.
"People don't like to hear it, but the fact is that no amount of direct, unprotected sun exposure is 'safe' or 'healthy,'" Morganroth said. "And even if you haven't had recent sunburn or excessive exposure, skin cancer can develop from past exposure. That's why regular screening by a professional is crucial. Although self screening is useful, the fact is that few people know what a cancerous lesion looks like."
El Camino Hospital's free skin cancer screening runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 17 at the hospital's new Cancer Center in the Melchor Building. To participate, you must pre-register by calling 800.216.5556. While the hospital hopes to double last year's number of screenings, that still means limited space, so early registration is advised.
About El Camino Hospital
Located on a 41-acre campus in the heart of Silicon Valley, El Camino Hospital serves residents in the El Camino Hospital District -- Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Cupertino and portions of Sunnyvale and Palo Alto – as well as those in surrounding communities. Established in 1961, the hospital has delivered the highest level of medical services to the community for more than four decades. Its quality programs and high customer satisfaction rankings have been recognized locally and nationally. In 2005, 2006 2007, and 2008 HealthGrades, a national rating company, named El Camino Hospital a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence, placing it in the top 5% of hospitals nationwide. El Camino Hospital is the first hospital in the Bay Area to have been designated as a nursing magnet hospital by the American Nursing Credentialing Center. Specialties include cardiac care, dialysis, cancer care, maternal child health services, orthopedics, neurosurgery and behavioral health. The hospital is also recognized as a national leader in the use of health information technology to promote patient safety, including barcoding, computerized order entry, electronic medical records and wireless communications.
To learn more about El Camino Hospital and its services, visit our web site at www.elcaminohospital.org. For a physician referral, visit our web site or call the El Camino Health Line at 800-216-5556.
Join Dr. Morganroth on Saturday, May 17, 2008 for a FREE skincancer screening atThe Cancer Center at El Camino Hospital, Melchor Pavillion, located at2490 Hospital Drive in Mountain View, California.
Call 800-216-5556 to preregister for this event.
April 20, 2008 - Don't miss our upcoming FREE Cosmetic Seminars in our San Jose and Mountain View locations! RSVP today! Learn More!
March 1, 2008 - We're pleased to announce the addition of Georgia K. Abrams, MD and her Saratoga office to the California Skin Institute.