Download 154RDB.NSJune2016_Feature Skin Cancer.indd

» FEATURE
Sun Struck
S
ummer is here. It’s time to go for walks,
run outside, host a cook-out, garden,
go boating or head to the beach. Open
the windows, wash your car or take in
a Tigers’ game. Do it all, but no matter what, arm
yourself against skin cancer or melanoma because,
on average, one American dies from melanoma every hour … yes, every hour … and approximately 75
percent of skin cancer deaths are from melanoma.
It’s time to face the facts about being a sun-worshiper. It’s not cool, healthy or advisable. When you
hear the hard facts, you may agree with the experts
that taking some important precautions could save
your life and the lives of your loved ones.
“Knowing that the most important risk factor for
the development of skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, the first defense is avoiding it and
shielding against it with sunscreen,” said Dr. Steven
Daveluy, MD, FAAD, of the melanoma multidisciplinary team at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer
Institute in Detroit. “That includes direct sunlight or
indoor tanning machines. It is, however, safe to use
self-tanners to get the same look, keeping in mind
that you still need sun protection.”
Because most of us grew up watching media that
glamorized the sun-kissed look, we assume it’s literally the picture of health, in most instances. Daveluy,
who also works as assistant professor of dermatology at Wayne State University, tells his patients that
any sun is too much sun. “Sun burns are really bad,”
he said, “but sun tans are also bad.”
Think of the damage in relation to smoking and
lung cancer. You don’t get lung cancer the day after
you smoke a cigarette. It takes time to develop, as
does sun damage. It’s been shown that having five or
more blistering sunburns between the ages of 15 and
20 increases the risk of melanoma by 80 percent.
Daveluy notes a few components are important
to look for in a sunscreen cream or lotion. The label
should say “broad spectrum,” which means it will
protect against UVA and UVB light. The sun protection factor, or SPF, should be 30 or higher and it
should say “water resistant.”
Be aware that many people don’t apply enough
154 | NEIGHBORHO
OD SEEN • June 2016
Enjoy the sunshine — but protect yourself
against skin cancer. By Shelly Johnson
permanent freckles and/or discoloration
sunscreen. Apply two tablespoons (one
of the upper chest and neck.
ounce) of sunscreen to your entire body
30 minutes before going outside. (It
EARLY DETECTION
takes 15 minutes to absorb.) Re-apply it
So what does skin cancer or melanoma
every two hours, or immediately after
look like? It usually presents as a new or
swimming or sweating. Make sure the
changing spot that looks like a mole that
sunscreen has not expired, too. The exoften has multiple colors, irregular bortra-dangerous peak hours of sunlight are
ders and may bleed. It typically changes
between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
in appearance with time.
Babies under 6 months of age should
The most common sites for skin cannot have sunscreen on their skin but
Dr. Steven Daveluy
cer are the areas of the body that get the
should be completely covered with clothmost sun exposure: the head, scalp, ears,
ing or shelter. After six months, sunscreen
hands and forearms. It can show up other places as
is OK for kids. Other defenses are wide-brimmed
well, especially the back and backs of the legs. In
hats (not baseball hats) for the protection of the
addition, higher risks of skin cancer can run in famneck and ears. Sunglasses should have UV protecilies, and fair-skinned people have less protection
tion, too.
to UV light. In people of color, melanoma is often
Sun exposure ages the skin. Long-term signs of
sun exposure include deeper wrinkles, dark spots or
diagnosed at later stages, when the disease is more
advanced.
Because early detection increases the cure rate
for cancer, the family physician can be a good place
to start your skin exams. “Some family physicians
are more comfortable with skin checks than others,”
Daveluy said. “They may prefer to refer you to a dermatologist. I recommend my patients do a self-exam
once per month and check for any spots that are
changing, itching, bleeding or look different than
the other spots. For useful information about what
to look for, with color photos, check the American
Academy of Dermatology website at www.ADD.org.”
A diagnosis of melanoma is not a death sentence.
The cure rate for melanoma depends on the stage.
Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, the two
most common forms of skin cancer, are highly
curable if detected early and treated properly. Melanoma can spread through blood and lymphatics,
which is the way all cancers spread.
Linda Jensen, 59, of Pinkney, was diagnosed with
melanoma after experiencing heart palpitations and
coughing. She went to her family physician who
found a mass in her heart. After a battery of tests,
they found she had a tumor in her heart and also in
Dr. Wendy Sadoff performs a skin examination.
Continued on page 156
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