Take Steps to Prevent Skin Cancer

On a recent Sunday we watched 2-year-old Kate wipe sunscreen on her chubby cheeks with tiny fingers splayed. "Sunscreem, sunscreem," she announced with pride. Then off she went to check out the backyard.

Lucky Kate -- her parents know how dangerous UVA and UVB rays are. They are training Kate to protect herself from developing skin cancer. She's too young to understand that unprotected skin at age 2 can mean skin cancer at age 20. But with adequate training, Kate most likely will never get skin cancer.

Many adults however still dismiss the value of sunscreen. In fact, despite the well-documented research of the past 30 years, about 70 percent of American adults do not use sun-protection measures. Young teens still relish bronzed bodies and beach week. Island vacations remain highly prized. And many don't want to take advantage of such experiences without first visiting the tanning salon. Regrettably, each year 1 million 20-to-40 somethings roast on tanning beds to acquire the "healthy glow."

The consequences of these collective behaviors have meant that skin cancer has become the unrecognized epidemic facing our nation. Half of all new cancers in the United States are skin cancers.

Conventional thinking leads us to believe that skin cancers, like age spots, appear around age 50, are ugly but harmless, and are caused by the effects of sun damage accumulated over time. However, that thinking can be dangerous given that skin cancer in young adults is increasing sharply.

International medical studies as well as those closer to home have demonstrated that basal cell skin cancer is accelerating among young adults. In a published Mayo Clinic study, between 1976 and 2003, the incidence of basal cell skin cancers -- the non-melanoma skin cancer -- roughly tripled in women, to more than 30 women per 100,000. The rate slightly increased among men, from about 23 to nearly 27 per 100,000.

Left undetected or untreated, basal cell carcinoma munches away at the face, hands, chest, and arms of young and old alike. When eventually removed, a chunk of the surrounding tissue is taken and the result may be disfiguring. Yet, if detected early, removal is easy, simple, and can be accomplished without life-long scarring.

Your best insurance against basal cell carcinoma is the frequent and generous application of sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) every day and most definitely before going outside. The American Academy of Dermatology also recommends that all people avoid tanning and UV tanning booths and situations where they may burn.

If you examine your skin head to toe every month and annually see your doctor for a skin exam, chances are you can avoid skin cancer.

Melanoma, on the other hand, is an entirely different beast. It appears initially as an abnormal lesion anywhere on the body -- soles, palms, inside the mouth, genitalia, and underneath nails. However, it is most commonly found on the back, buttocks, legs, scalp, neck, and behind the ears. If undetected or treated, it grows, enters the bloodstream, and travels in warp fashion to vital organs. It is a quick, unpredictable, and aggressive assassin. Every 62 seconds an American dies from melanoma.

The best insurance you can have against melanoma is learning the ABCD rule (see nearby chart ) to apply to any sudden or continuous change in the appearance of a mole.

There is a correlation between skin cancer and personal behavior. Roasting under artificial lamps, sunbathing without adequate protection, and avoiding the use of sunglasses and hats are behaviors that dramatically increase your risk of developing skin cancer. Spread the word: An ounce of prevention leads to beautiful and healthy skin!
Julia K. Padgett, M.D., is president of the Virginia Dermatological Society. Contact her at (804)643-6631 or .