True or False?
• A suntan is an injury to the skin T/F
• In winter, skin does not need protection T/F
• Sunblock should be applied every 2 hrs T/F
• Tanning beds are healthy T/F
• Too much sun is the main cause of skin cancer
T/F
The “Good” Sun
• Provides light
• Keeps us warm
• Helps plants grow
• Provides us with Vitamin D
• Makes us feel good
The “Bad” - Too Much of It...
• Can burn or tan (injure) our skin
• Causes premature wrinkles
• Causes dark patches (age spots)
• Suppresses the immune system
• Causes cataracts and eye damage
• Causes skin cancers
The Ugly
• Skin cancer rates are rapidly increasing
• 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer
• 1 million cases (non-melanoma) per year
• Skin cancers can be disfiguring and deadly
What Is Skin Cancer?
• An abnormal overgrowth (tumor) of certain skin cells.
• Benign (local, non life-threatening)
• Malignant (invasive or spreads)
• Can be deadly
• Prevention and early detection is key
Why Is Skin Cancer Important?
• It is the most common type of cancer in the U.S.
• One death every hour in U.S. (melanoma)
• Melanoma rates have tripled in past 30 years
• Significant sunburns in childhood often lead to cancers
• Younger people are being diagnosed
@70% of adults do not use sunscreen
Causes of Skin Cancer
• Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation from the sun
• UVA - tan, burn, skin damage, aging
• UVB - may cause melanoma, skin cancers
• Tanning booths - UVA/UVB rays
• Genetics - family history
• Chemical agents - exposure to coal, arsenic
1 in 3 teenage girls (U.S.) uses a tanning booth
Ozone Tanning
Risky Business Am I At Risk?
• Fair skin and red or blonde hair• Light colored eyes• Sunburns easily - or uses tanning beds• Many moles, freckles or birthmarks• Frequent outdoor work• Childhood sun exposure; serious sunburn• Family history
A Note About Moles
• Many shapes and sizes, colors and numbers
• You could have 1 or 100
• Often don’t pose a problem or concern
• Sometimes are dangerous or cancerous
• Know your skin and look out for changes
How Sun Damages Our Skin
• Sunburn and tanning - short-term
• Prematurely aged skin - longer term
• Wrinkles
• Loss of elasticity
• Dark patches ("age spots" or "liver spots")
• Actinic keratoses
• Skin cancers
Types of Skin Cancer
• Squamous Cell CarcinomaUsually found on sun exposed areas (ears, face and mouth)
• Symptoms - bump that turns into an open sore (red or crusty, gets larger, sore that won't heal)
• If untreated can spread quickly (lymphatic blood and nerve routes)
Types (continued)
• Basal Cell Carcinoma - Most common • Accounts for more than 75% of skin cancers
• Mostly found on the face, neck, and hands
• Highly treatable, rarely spreads
• Symptoms - sore that oozes or bleeds, a red or irritated area, a yellow or white area (scar-like), and a pink pearly bump
Types (continued)
• Melanoma-The most dangerous and deadly type
• Can develop on any part of the body (arms, legs and trunk most common)
• When found early, it is considered highly treatable.
Melanoma Symptoms
• A mole, freckle, or new/existing spot
• That changes color, size or shape
• It may have an irregular outline and possibly be more than one color
Early Detection (ABCD and E)
A - asymmetry - one half of the mole does not match the other half.
B - border - the edges of the more are irregular, ragged, blurred or notched.
C- color - the color over the mole is not the same. There may be differing shades of tan, brown or black and sometimes patches of red, blue or white.
D - diameter - the mole is larger than 6mm (approximately 1/4 inch or about the size of a pencil eraser).
E - elevation - is almost always present (a mole may also be flat).
E - enlargement - a history of increase in the size of a mole is one of the most important signs.
Signs and Symptoms Overview
Any change on the skin (size, color or dark pigmented growth or spot, or a new growth)
Scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or change in the appearance of a bump or nodule
The spread of pigmentation beyond its borderChange in sensation (itchy, tender, or painful)
Prevention
• Do Not Burn -Avoid sun tans and sunbeds
• Apply Sunscreen “generously” - SPF 15 +
• Wear *Protective Clothing when possible
• Seek Shade (rays strongest between 10-4)
• Use extra caution near water, snow, sand (they reflect damaging rays)
* long sleeves, pants, wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses
Detection - Skin Self-Exam
• Inspect your skin monthly
• Follow the A-B-C-D-E’s
• Include hard-to-see areas (scalp, back, ears, buttocks, toes, etc)
• Perform exam in well-lit area
• In front of full-length mirror
Got Skin, Get Checked
• Spots on the skin that are new or changing should be evaluated by a physician.
Get checked every 3 years between ages 20-40 and every
year over age 40ACS guidelines
Treatment
• Biopsy first, excision (surgical removal) of the growth if needed
• More surgery if stage has progressed
• Radiation or chemotherapy may be used
• Photodynamic therapy (drug or laser, kills cancer cells)
How The Foundation is Helping
• The Foundation was established with the vision to be "the voice for melanoma prevention, detection, care and cure".
• It's Mission and focus is on melanoma education, awareness and supporting research to bring about a cure for this deadly disease.
Key Reminders
• Skin cancers are on the rise and are serious
• Excess sun is the main cause
• Protection is key (sunblock, shade, etc)
• Prevention begins in childhood
• If found early is very treatable
• Balance activity with protection