Skin Cancer / Melanoma

The incidence of skin cancer is higher than prostate, lung, breast, colon, uterine, ovarian and pancreatic cancer combined. More than 90% of all skin cancer cases are a result of sun exposure.

There are two main types of skin cancer: melanoma and non-melanomas. The most common type of skin cancer is non-melanoma, which rarely spreads and is less likely to cause death. However, some scarring may occur. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the most common non-melanoma skin cancers. Other non-melanoma skin cancers are Kaposi’s sarcoma, Merkel cell carcinoma and cutaneous lymphoma.

Melanoma
Skin Cancer Prevention

Melanoma

Melanoma is the most serious of skin cancers with almost 60,000 new diagnoses each year and annually causing almost 8,000 deaths.

Melanoma is much more serious than non-melanomas and has the ability to spread. According to the American Cancer Society, most melanomas are curable in the early stages, so self examinations and physician visits are key to detecting skin cancer before it advances and spreads.

The best way to detect melanoma is by continually examining your skin, especially moles. Melanoma may be found in several places including the back, buttocks, legs, scalp, neck, behind the ears, soles of feet, palms, inside the mouth, genitalia and underneath nails. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), approximately 20 to 40 percent of melanomas develop from a mole. You should talk to your doctor about moles that are asymmetrical (not an even shape), have a border, have a mix of colors—especially red, white or blue—are more than 6 millimeters in diameter (about the size of a pencil eraser), bleed, itch or change in size over time.

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Skin Cancer Prevention

Ultraviolet rays wreak havoc on our skin. Immediately, it can cause sunburn including such symptoms as redness, swelling, blisters, fever, chills and even nausea. Long-term exposure can cause wrinkles, freckles, dark patches, actinic keratoses, eye problems and even a suppressed immune system.

All of these results of sun exposure and even skin cancer is preventable. Despite the warnings, many Americans do not follow the guidelines from the experts. In fact, the Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF) reports that fewer than 33 percent of Americans including children, adolescents and adults routinely use sun protection.

No one is immune to the sun’s effects. The incidence of melanoma continues to rise in women under 40. It also tends to affect men over the age of 50. The AAD states that African-Americans, Latinos and Asians are less likely to develop melanoma, but it also is most deadly for them. Although anyone can develop skin cancer, some people are at higher risk including those with light skin, hair or eye color; a family or personal history of skin cancer; chronic exposure to the sun; sunburns early in life; and specific types of moles and freckles.

With skin cancer being the most common form of cancer and an increasing number of diagnoses made in children, it is important to practice prevention. Here are the basic guidelines for skin cancer prevention and sun protection.

• Avoid midday sun exposure if possible—usually between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. the sun is at its strongest.
• Frequently apply sunscreen with a SPF 15 or higher.
• Wear a hat.
• Cover your skin if possible with clothing such as pants, long sleeved shirts and long skirts. Keep in mind that UV rays are more likely to penetrate some types of clothing than others such as a loosely woven material or light colors.
• Wear sunglasses that block UV rays.
• Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps. Almost 37 percent of white females between the ages of 13 and 19 have used a tanning bed.

Practicing cancer prevention and early detection methods could eliminate as many as 100,000 cancer cases and 60,000 cancer deaths each year in the United States, reports the SCF. The right sun protection will prevent skin cancer.

For more information, visit the American Cancer Society or National Cancer Institute.