Preventing skin cancer

MONTROSE  — No person is immune to skin cancer. In fact, more than one million Americans are diagnosed each year with the disease. However, it can be avoided and also cured if it’s diagnosed early, according to the American Cancer Society.

“There are a number of different kinds of skin cancers that you can get,” said Dr. Robert Kilbourn, director of medical oncology at the San Juan Cancer Center in Montrose.

Most skin cancers are classified as nonmelanoma, according to ACS. These types of cancers occur in the outer layer of the skin or cover the internal and external surfaces of the body.

They usually develop on the sun-exposed parts of the body including the face, neck and back of the hands.

Nonmelanoma usually advances locally and can be removed by a surgon, Kilbourn said.

Melanoma is different.

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer because of its ability to enter into the bloodstream and spread to the rest of the body.

In 2007, melanoma accounted for almost 60,000 skin cancer cases. It also accounted for more than 8,000 of the 10,000 skin cancer-related deaths, according to the ACS.

“It penetrates into the depths of the skin,” Kilbourn said.

There are several risk factors for skin cancer, according to the ACS. Those include a fair complexion, occupational exposure to coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds or radium, family history, multiple or atypical moles and exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

“All studies clearly show a relationship to sun exposure,” Kilbourn said. “It’s really not so much the chronic exposure over time but the intensity of the exposure.”

There are two damaging UV rays.

UVB has long been considered the “tanning ray” and is strongest during the summer months. Its rays damage the outer layer of the skin.

The discovery of the damage of UVA rays is more recent, Kilbourn said. UVA rays remain the same strength year around and can penetrate such things as clothing, windshields and hats. Tanning beds use UVA rays.

“The UV exposure is where the tan comes from,” Kilbourn said. “There has been a great concern that there is going to be a surge of newly diagnosed melanoma cases in the next few years because of the popularity of tanning booths.”

Because of the correlation between skin cancer and intensity of sun exposure, it’s important to protect yourself, Kilbourn said. The bad sunburns people tend to get early in life could land a person in Kilbourn’s office later.

It’s important when picking out a sunscreen to make sure it protects against UVA and UVB rays, he said. (See “Protecting Yourself.)

Another important tip is to examine your skin monthly, according to the ACS. By being familiar with moles, freckles and birthmarks on your skin, you can recognize them when they change. Then, Kilbourn recommends that you don’t wait for a symptom or problem, but have them checked out by a dermatologist or the family doctor. (See “Warning Signs”.)

Protecting Yourself

•Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

•Seek shade: Look for shade, especially in the middle of the day when the sun’s rays are strongest. Practice the shadow rule and teach it to children. If your shadow is shorter than you, the sun’s rays are at their strongest.

•Slip on a shirt: Cover up with protective clothing to guard as much skin as possible when you are out in the sun. Choose comfortable clothes made of tightly woven fabrics that you cannot see through when held up to a light.

•Slop on sunscreen: Use sunscreen and lip balm with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Apply a generous amount of sunscreen (about a palmful) and reapply after swimming, toweling dry, or perspiring. Use sunscreen even on hazy or overcast days.

•Slap on a hat: Cover your head with a wide-brimmed hat, shading your face, ears, and neck. If you choose a baseball cap, remember to protect your ears and neck with sunscreen.

•Wrap on sunglasses: Wear sunglasses with 99 percent to 100 percent UV absorption to provide optimal protection for the eyes and the surrounding skin.

•Follow these practices to protect your skin even on cloudy or overcast days. UV rays travel through clouds.

•Avoid other sources of UV light. Tanning beds and sun lamps are dangerous because they can damage your skin.

Warning Signs of Melanoma

The A-B-C-D rule can help distinguish a normal mole from melanoma. The following are signs of a possible melanoma:

• Asymmetry: One-half of the mole does not match the other half.

• Border irregularity: The edges of the mole are ragged, notched, or blurred.

• Color: The color of the mole is not uniform, with variable degrees of tan, brown, or black and sometimes patches of red, blue, or white.

• Diameter: The mole is wider than six millimeters (about 1/4 inch).

Source: American Cancer Society.