At the beginning of every summer, you see the government health warnings about skin cancer. Yet millions of people lay in tanning beds insisting on getting a toast brown suntan. There is still seems to be a disconnection in the minds of many people as to what causes skin cancer and how skin cancer forms. There also seems to be a disconnection between the knowledge that some forms of skin cancer can lead to
death if not detected early enough and allowed to spread. No one really enjoys talking about that fact. Yet it’s why dermatologists and government agencies warn consumers every year before the start of the summer season that skin cancer is a serious matter, and it’s preventable.
Doctors don’t enjoy lecturing despite the fact patients sometimes think otherwise. They want men and women to get colonoscopies periodically, watch their weight, and avoid getting sunburns. What do all of these activities have in common? They reduce your chances of getting cancer. It’s that simple or that complicated depending on your lifestyle and your current health.
Start A Conversation About Skin Cancer
Start a conversation about cancer and the first thoughts are usually about colon cancer or lung cancer since there have been so many organized public service campaigns run on these topics. Now it’s time to talk about skin cancer. It is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in the United States. Each year there are 3.5 million skin cancers detected in approximately 2 million people.1 More surprising to many is that 1 out of 5 Americans will be dealing with skin cancer at some time in their life.2 If that still doesn’t convince you of the seriousness of skin cancer, then consider that up to 50 percent of Americans reaching the age of 65 will have skin cancer.3
What’s interesting about skin cancer is that despite the fact so many people will develop skin cancer in their lifetimes, only 58 percent of adults say that they take steps to protect their skin from the sun.4 Incredibly, a survey that the American Academy of Dermatology conducted in 2005 reported that 92 percent of those taking the survey said they knew that getting a suntan is dangerous, but they think a tan makes them look better. In addition, many people think that UV tanning in a salon is safer than tanning in the sun which is one reason tanning booths have become so popular.6
Here are the facts. Tanning with any source of ultraviolet (UV) rays is not safe whether the rays come from bulbs or the sun. The survey demonstrated the fact that people are not always fully informed about skin cancer despite numerous public service announcements. That is why physicians are so persistent about warning their patients to use suntan lotion and limit exposure to the sun and to UV tanning beds.
Prevention, Detection and Treatment
Actinic keratosis is the most common form of skin precancers. The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. The National Cancer Institute reports that 68,000 Americans are diagnosed each year with melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Another 48,000 are diagnosed with early forms of skin cancer.7 There are three main concepts you should keep in mind when discussing skin cancer.
- Prevention
- Early detection
- Treatment
A discussion of skin cancer will always revolve around prevention and early detection first and then treatment options when cancer is detected. To understand how to prevent skin cancer, it’s necessary to understand the risk factors and steps you can take to minimize those risk factors. Early detection relies on recognizing the symptoms of skin cancer which include precancers, learning how to do a self-examination, and seeing a dermatologist regularly for a medical evaluation.
There are a number of treatments for cancer available today that range from holistic approaches to surgery and radiation to chemotherapy. In many cases, a combination of treatments will be used depending on the type of skin cancer, the stage of the cancer and the possibility that the cancer has spread in the body. Skin cancers are defined by the following stages:8
- Stage 0 – melanoma in the epidermis
- Stage 1 – melanoma between 1mm and 2 mm thick
- Stage 2 – melanoma that may be thicker than 2mm
- Stage 3 – cancer that has reached lymph nodes
- Stage 4 – cancer has invaded lymph nodes or other areas of the body
Clearly, the sooner skin cancer is detected, the easier it is to treat. Like any cancer, you want to prevent its spread by stopping it in its tracks.
Prevention is Always the Best Medicine
Of course, prevention is always the best medicine, and the vast majority of skin cancers are preventable. Since one of the prevention methods includes protecting your skin from sunburns, you get another benefit. Many of the skin cancer prevention strategies provide anti-aging benefits too.
The skin is the largest organ in the body, and unfortunately it’s one of the most neglected. That’s easy to change though by starting and following a skin cancer prevention program today.
References
1 Rogers, HW, Weinstock, MA and Harris AR, et al. (2006). Incidence estimate of nonmelanoma skin cancer in the United States. Arch Dermatol , 146 (3), 283-287.
2 Robinson, JK. (2005). Sun exposure, sun protection, and vitamin D. JAMA , 294, 1541-43.
3 Sun Protection, Cancer Trends Progress Report. (2009-2010). Retrieved July 18, 2011, from National Cancer Institute: progressreport.cancer.gov/doc_detail.asp?
pid=1&did=2007&chid=71&coid=711&mid+=
5 Ibid
6 American Academy Of Dermatology (2006, January 17). Indoor Tanning Contributes To Increased Incidence Of Skin Cancer.
7 What You Need to Know About Melanoma and Other Skin Cancers. (2011). Retrieved July 19, 2011, from National Cancer Institute: www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/skin
8 Melanoma Skin Cancer. (2011). Retrieved July 19, 2011, from American Cancer Society: www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer-melanoma/detailedguide/melanoma-skin-cancer-treating-by-stage
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The content provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Our content is not medical advice you should seek a licensed physician or health professional regarding all health issues. SKIN-CANCER.ORG takes no responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, or application of medication which results from reading this site.
