Spring 2005
Skin Cancer: Watch Your Back
 Melanoma,
the most dangerous form of skin cancer, is most often found on the upper
back. That’s why it’s so important to perform full-body skin checks at
least every six months, says St. John’s Clinic – Dermatology’s
Raffaele Pennella, M.D.
“Recruit a spouse or another family member
to check out your back and the backs of your arms and legs for
suspicious-looking moles. If you live alone, use mirrors to get a full
view of your skin,” Pennella says. “Use the ABCD test (below). If a mole
looks suspicious, get it checked out by a dermatologist as soon as
possible.”
Hormones during pregnancy can cause moles to darken or grow slightly, but
when in doubt, see your physician.
“When skin cancer is discovered early, the cure rate is 100 percent. The
risk for metastasis (the cancer spreading) is related to the depth of the
tumor,” Pennella says.
People who have a family history of skin cancer or who are fair-skinned
and have had a lot of sunburns should perform head-to-toe skin checks at
least every four months.
Pennella says prevention of skin cancer begins in childhood.
“The sun damage you receive as a child and young adult is what can develop
into skin cancer when you get older,” Pennella says. “Most skin-cancer
patients are 30 to 50 years old. When we see younger people with
melanomas, it’s usually a result of tanning-bed use. There really is no
such thing as a healthy tan, unless you get it out of a bottle,” Pennella
says.
PREVENTION
• Don’t sunbathe.
• Avoid unnecessary sun exposure, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.,
the peak hours for harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
• When outdoors, use sunscreens rated SPF 15 or higher. Apply them
liberally, uniformly and frequently.
• When exposed to sunlight, wear protective clothing such as long pants,
long-sleeved shirts, broad-brimmed hats, and UV-protective sunglasses.
• Avoid tanning beds and booths. Use self-tanning lotion if you must be
tan. “Most of the self-tanning products on the market are much better than
they used to be,” Pennella says.
• Teach your children good sun protection habits at an early age.
• Examine your skin, head to toe, at least every six months.
The ABCDs of skin cancer
Asymmetry - one half of a mole unlike the other half.
Border irregularity - scalloped or poorly circumscribed border.
Color - varied from one area to another; shades of tan and brown; black;
sometimes white, red or blue.
Diameter - larger than 6mm as a rule (diameter of a pencil eraser).
How Does Your Skin Check Out?
Please join us for a free skin cancer
screening from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, May 9 at St. John’s Cancer Center (2055
S. Fremont).
For more information, call 888-8888 or 800-909-8326.
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