Skin Cancer and You

by Diane Masi

With the summer fast approaching, we are again faced with the dilemma of our skin being scorched by the hot summer sun.? When I grew up, tanning was the thing to do.? I remember people adding iodine to baby oil and spreading it all over their bodies.? Geesh!? Were we crazy or what?? Then we?d lie in the sun and bake for hours on end, weekend after weekend.? Unfortunately, we didn?t know any better.? The dangers of sunbathing weren?t talked about like they are today.? Everyone did whatever they wanted to in order to achieve a ?healthy? look.? When, in actuality, what we were doing was completely unhealthy.

Today, years later, thank goodness, we are wiser and more concerned about our health.? Although I still see those sun worshippers on the beach, most people are protecting their skin from the sun?s damaging and dangerous rays.? But what about those people who haven?t been in the sun for 20 years or more?? Are they safe?

Well, not really.? As evidenced by one of my dearest friends.? She used to sunbath when she was a teenager.? But for all of the time that I knew her in adulthood, she NEVER, and I mean never, went in the sun or exposed her skin to the sun?s rays.? Yet, lo and behold, on a visit to her dermatologist a year ago, she was diagnosed with melanoma.? ?Once the sun?s rays get hold of your skin, there?s no telling what damage is being done or was done so many years ago.? So if you haven?t had a recent visit at the dermatologist, I urge you to do so.

Skin cancer is not a game.? It?s serious business.? Actually, skin cancer accounts for nearly half of all cancers in the U.S.? More than 2 million cases of basal and squamous cell skin cancer are found in this country each year.? Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, will account for more than 75,000 cases of skin cancer in 2012.

Now let?s analyze the different types of skin cancer.

First we?ll talk about squamous and basal cell skin cancers.? These types of cancer are classified as non-melanomas.? They usually start at the base of the outer layer of the skin in the basal and squamous cells.? Thus, their names.? Most of these types of cancers develop on areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun like, the lips, neck, ears, face or backs of the hands.? They rarely spread to other areas of the body but they can be either? fast or slow growing.? If they are found and treated early, they are likely to be cured.

Now, onto the more serious skin cancer, melanoma.? Although melanoma accounts for only a small percentage of skin cancer, it is far more dangerous than other skin cancers and is responsible for most skin cancer deaths.

In 2012, melanoma will account for more than 75,000 cases of skin cancer and almost 9,000 of the nearly 12,000 skin cancer deaths each year.? Melanoma begins in the melanocytes ? the cells that produce the skin coloring and pigment known as melanin.? Melanin helps protect the deeper layers of the skin from the harmful effects of the sun.? If caught in early stages, melanoma is almost always curable with an overall 5-year survival rate of 91%.? For localized melanoma, the 5-year survival rate is 98%.? But unfortunately, the survival rates for regional and distant stage melanoma are 62% and 16%, respectively.? A drastic difference.? Thankfully, about 84% of melanoma cases are diagnosed at a localized stage.

There are definite risk factors associated with skin cancer.? Here are some that you may or may not know about:

1)???? Severed sunburns in the past

2)???? Family history of skin cancer

3)???? Multiple or unusual moles

4)???? Pale complexion

5)???? Unprotected exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation (exposure to natural sunlight or in ?tanning booths)

In my next post, I?ll be talking about some of the signs and symptoms of skin cancer and things you can do to prevent it.

Remember:? Precaution is key.? We?re not invincible.? Yet, some of us challenge the sun as though it?s a contest that we?re going to win.? It?s like playing with fire, literally.? And many times, pardon the pun, you?re going to get burned.? So choose to be smart and keep yourself safe from the sun?s harmful rays.

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