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Sun Safety During the Hot Texas Summer
As we move into the hot summer months our exposure to the sun’s harmful rays increases for ourselves and our family. Read the following article for tips on how to recognize suspicious skin lesions, and how to decrease your risk for certain types of skin cancer.
Skin Cancer
Your skin is the largest organ of the body. As we age, skin gradually thins and becomes more sensitive to sun damage. Skin cancer is the abnormal growth of skin cells. Sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for all skin cancers. Over the past three decades, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined. Most skin cancers are curable if treated early. With the hot summer months now upon us and as it gets warmer, it is common for us to spend more time outdoors. Therefore, practicing sun safe behaviors is the best defense against skin cancer.
Know Your ABCDE's
Risk Factors
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You had one or more blistering sunburns as a child
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You have a lot of moles on your skin
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You have a lot of freckles
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You have red or blonde hair
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You have light-colored eyes
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You have fair skin or burn easy
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You have a family history of skin cancer
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You don’t use sun protection
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You have a lot of precancerous scaly skin growths called “Actinic Keratosis”
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You have a weakened immune system
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You had previous radiation treatment
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You don’t go to regular checkups
Common Symptoms
Basal cell carcinoma may appear as:
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A pearly or waxy bump
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A flat, flesh-colored or brown scar-like lesion
Squamous cell carcinoma may appear as:
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A firm, red nodule
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A flat lesion with a scaly, crusty surface
Malignant melanoma may appear as:
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A large brownish spot with darker specks
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A mole that changes in color, size, or feel or that bleeds
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A small lesion with an irregular border and portions that appear red, white, blue, or blue-black
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Dark lesions on your palms, soles, fingertips, or toes, or on the mucous membranes lining your mouth, nose, vagina, or anus
Screening Tests
Perform the skin self-exam and look for:
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New skin lesions or marks
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Lesions that have changed in size, texture, color, or shape
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Lesions that bleed or won’t heal
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Moles with irregular borders or colors and/or lack of symmetry
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Any mole or growth that appears very different from other skin growths
If you have suspicious lesions, see a doctor and a biopsy may be performed for further evaluation.
 Types of Skin Cancer
Basal Cell Carcinoma begins in the basal cell layer of the skin and usually occurs in places that have been exposed to the sun, such as the face. In people with fair skin, basal cell skin cancer is the most common type of skin cancer.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma begins in squamous cells. In people with dark skin, squamous cell skin cancer is the most common type of skin cancer, and it's usually found in places that are not in the sun, such as the legs or feet. However, this type of cancer can also occur on parts of the skin that have been in the sun, such as the head, face, ears, and neck in fair-skinned people.
Malignant Melanoma begins in melanocytes (pigment cells). Melanoma can occur on any skin surface. In men, it's often found on the skin on the head, the neck, between the shoulders, and the hips. In women, it's often found on the skin on the lower legs or between the shoulders and the hips. Melanoma is rare in people with dark skin. When it does develop in people with dark skin, it's usually found under the fingernails, under the toenails, on the palms of the hands, or on the soles of the feet. This type can spread more easily than other skin cancers.
Cutaneous Lymphoma is a rare cancer that starts in cells that are part of the body's immune system and found in the skin instead of the lymph system.
Kaposi sarcoma is a rare form of skin cancer that develops in the skin's blood vessels and causes red or purple patches on the skin or mucous membranes. Kaposi sarcoma mainly occurs in people with weakened immune systems, such as people with AIDS.
Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare cancer that causes firm, shiny nodules that occur on or just beneath the skin and in hair follicles. Merkel cell carcinoma is usually found on sun-exposed areas on the head, neck, arms and legs.
Sebaceous gland carcinoma is an uncommon and aggressive cancer originates in the oil glands in the skin and can develop anywhere, but most occur on the eyelid, where they're frequently mistaken for other eyelid problems.
Sun Safety Tips
Generously apply sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 that provides protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays to all exposed skin. Re-apply every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating.
Wear protective clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses where possible.
Seek shade when appropriate. The sun’s rays are strongest between 10am and 4pm. If your shadow is shorter than you are, seek shade. Protect children from sun exposure by playing in the shade, using protective clothing and applying sunscreen.
Use extra caution near water, snow and sand as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.
Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet that may include vitamin supplements.
Don’t seek the sun. Avoid tanning beds. UV light from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling. If you want to look like you’ve been in the sun, consider using a sunless self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it.
Check your birthday suit on your birthday. If you notice anything changing, growing or bleeding on your skin, see a dermatologist. Skin is very treatable when caught early.
Treatment Options for Skin Cancer
Freezing: Liquid nitrogen used to freeze off precancerous or early stage cancers. The dead tissue sloughs off when it thaws.
Laser therapy: A precise, intense beam of light vaporizes growths, generally with little damage to surrounding tissue.
Excisional surgery: The doctor cuts out the cancerous tissue and a surrounding margin of healthy skin. A wide excision (removing extra normal skin around the tumor) may be recommended in some cases.
Mohs surgery: This procedure is for larger, recurring or difficult-to-treat skin cancers, which may include both basal and squamous cell carcinomas. Your doctor removes the skin growth layer by layer, examining each layer under the microscope, until no abnormal cells remain.
Curettage & electrodesiccation: After removing most of a growth, your doctor scrapes away layers of cancer cells using a circular blade and an electric needle destroys any remaining cancer cells.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT): This treatment destroys skin cancer cells with a combination of laser light and drugs that makes cancer cells sensitive to light.
Biological therapy: Stimulates your immune system in order to kill cancer cells.
Radiotherapy: A beam of radiation is targeted on the cancerous cells, which shrinks the tumor.
Chemotherapy: Treatment to destroy cancer cells with special cancer medicines. It's usually given as a series of injections into a vein.
YOU CAN PREVENT SKIN CANCER!
WEAR SUNBLOCK.
AVOID SUN BETWEEN 10AM - 4PM.
WEAR HATS AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.
DRINK LOTS OF WATER.
Resources:
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National Cancer Institute http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/skin/page4
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American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer/index
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Skin Cancer Foundation http://www.skincancer.org/
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