If you need more convincing to stay sun smart, look no further than this man.
Leigh Raaschou was a junior lifesaver in Victoria, Australia, and worked outside most of his life and “never wore a hat, never wore sunscreen and this is the result of that”.
“As you can see by the skin grafts and things I’ve had, I would have had well over 100 skin cancers cut off in that time, probably closer to 200,” he recently told the ABC.
The vision of Mr Raaschou shows him covered in scars and blemishes.
He explained how sun exposure led to skin cancer, melanoma, and other medical havoc throughout his body.
“The cancer got into my bone and they had to take my skull out, put a titanium plate in,” he told the broadcaster.
“Unfortunately, [I] got an infection between the plate and my brain, and I had to go back in and remove it.
“But due to the high risk of cutting me open … or bleeding in the brain and things like that they’ve decided that they’re not going to put it back in.
“I’ve had radiation in every area of my head, and the doctors have said there is no more.”
Mr Raaschou spoke after the release of new Australian research that found cannabis has effects on melanoma cell growth.
The groundbreaking study led by researchers from Charles Darwin University and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) has unveiled a promising development in the fight against melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer.
The study examined the effects of a cannabis extract called cannabinoid PHEC-66 on melanoma cells, revealing its potential to slow down cell growth and induce “cell death”.
Led by Aussie scientists, the research focused on how PHEC-66 interacts with receptors on melanoma cells.
The concentrated form of the extract showed promising results in laboratory tests, suggesting it could serve as a supplementary therapy for treating malignant melanoma.
Melanoma, although relatively rare compared to other skin cancers, accounts for a high number of skin cancer-related deaths, and has a tendency to spread rapidly and resist traditional treatments.
More than 13,000 Aussies are diagnosed with melanoma every year while it is estimated about 434,000 are treated for non-melanoma skin cancers yearly.
Previous studies have hinted at the anti-cancer properties of compounds found in cannabis plants but the latest research adds to a growing body of evidence supporting the potential of cannabis-derives in cancer treatment.
The study further revealed that PHEC-66, predominantly containing CBD, inhibits the proliferation and movement of melanoma cells, potentially halting the spread of cancer.
However, researchers emphasized the need for more research to fully comprehend PHEC-66’s efficacy in treating advanced-stage melanoma.
“Before we take this to human trials, we have to go through animal trials, we have to make sure that these products are safe and effective,” Study co-author Nazim Nassar told ABC.
“And more importantly we need to find the way to deliver (PHEC-66) directly to the cell.
“Probably here we’re looking at something topical or subcutaneous under the skin that will deliver the medicine directly to the target cells.”
