Maryland resident James Riordan assumed the mole on his cheek was harmless until his wife pointed it out and encouraged him to have it examined. 

“I pointed it out to my dermatologist, and she probably would’ve seen it anyway,” Riordan said. A few days later, the biopsy came back as melanoma.” 

Detecting melanoma 

Dr. Kate Viola, a dermatologist at Dermatology Partners in Sparks, Maryland, said Riordan’s story is becoming increasingly common. 

“About 100,000 Americans will be diagnosed with a melanoma this year, and over 8,400 of those patients will die,” Viola said. 

She said people with a family history of melanoma, fair or light-colored skin, blonde or red hair, and blue or green eyes face a higher risk of developing the cancer. Patients with many moles or atypical moles, and those who are immunocompromised, are also more vulnerable. 

Viola advises patients to use the “ABC” method to recognize a possible melanoma. 

• A is for asymmetry; when one side of a mole does not match the other
• B is for border; when the edges of a mole appear jagged or blurred
• C is for color; when a mole shows multiple shades instead of one

Catching cancer early 

Riordan said he was shocked to hear the word melanoma because he has had moles all his life. His cancer was caught early, measuring just 0.3 millimeters. 

“There was a little part of me that was scared,” Riordan said. “However, when she first called me and told me how deep it was, I knew we had caught it early.” 

Although he initially put off the biopsy for a few months, Riordan said he immediately wanted it removed once he got the results. 

“I wasn’t in a hurry to get it checked because I didn’t think it was going to be anything,” he said. 

“But when I came in and got the results, I wanted it off as soon as possible,” Riordan added. 

Now cancer-free, Riordan carries a small scar on his face, which he considers a reminder of a life-saving decision. 

“I love that it’s gone,” he said. “It’s well worth getting rid of the cancer.” 

Viola said annual skin checks and daily sunscreen use are critical to preventing melanoma. 

She stressed that people should not wait if they notice something unusual. 

“Don’t put it off,” she said. “If something looks off, get it checked.” 

Medical mistakes that led to either death or severe disabilities are apparently on the rise in Maryland, according to a new report from the state’s Department of Health.

The report, highlighting data from fiscal year 2023, marks the fourth consecutive year that Maryland hospitals have seen an increase in such incidents, starting with the increase in 2020.

In fiscal 2023, the Maryland Department of Health said there were 957 adverse events reported, including 808 Level 1 events.

Level 1 events are described as “an adverse event that results in death or serious disability.” The latest report marked a 5% increase in such incidences, according to the report.

Pressure injuries were the most frequently reported Level 1 event for the latest report, but were down 2% from the previous year. These types of injuries include ulcers, which commonly happen because of failure to turn and reposition patients with limited mobility and offload pressure in hospital beds, the report found.

Medical tubes and devices caused 30% of in-hospital pressure injuries. “Proper positioning and securing of medical tubes and devices is crucial to pressure injury prevention,” the report states.

Falls were the second-most reported event, with a 22% increase from fiscal 2022, according to the report.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports that more than one-third of hospital falls result in injury, including serious injuries such as fractures and head trauma.

The state report mentions one fall patient in particular who was transferred from an outside hospital with leukemia. The nursing staff at the hospital assessed the patient as a “standard fall risk,” as they had no prior fall history.

However, that patient was later diagnosed as nonverbal with a subdural hematoma after they hit the back of their head on a closet door while walking to the bathroom, according to the report. At the time of the fall, the patient was reported as having a “sudden urinary and fecal incontinence.”

The report stated that the patient had become nonverbal during CT testing.

An investigation into that incident revealed the patient should have been classified as “high-risk” due to their “diagnosis, comorbidities, and medications,” the report said. Investigators also believe the IV pole was a factor in the fall.

“Since the patient’s risk for falls was not assessed accurately, appropriate interventions were not in place, such as a room closer to the nursing station or the use of a bed alarm,” the report stated.

Delays in treatment are the third-highest reported event, and may happen due to “inadequate assessments, communication failures, or human factors, such as timely diagnostic testing, labs, and imaging.”

The department said the trend of increased medical mistakes could be caused by workforce shortages and residual effects from the pandemic.

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Maryland football takes on Towson Saturday looking to extend its 17-game nonconference win streak, the longest active streak at the FBS level.

The Terps and Tigers last met in 2023, where Maryland demolished the FCS squad, 38-6. Towson is head coach Michael Locksley’s alma mater, and was the location of his first coaching job.

FanDuel Sportsbook expects another Maryland blowout, listing the Terps as 29.5-point favorites over Towson, with moneyline victory odds at -10,000 and the over-under at 50.5 points.

Catch up with all of our football coverage here and in the Feed.

When: Saturday, Sept. 13, 12 p.m. ET

Where: SECU Stadium, College Park, Maryland

TV: Peacock — Michael Grady (play-by-play), Michael Robinson (color commentary), Caroline Pindea (sideline)

Radio: 105.7 FM (Balt) / 980 AM (DC) – Johnny Holliday (play-by-play), Steve Suter (analyst)