SKIN CANCERSKIN CANCER

Senior Health-Bauberger

SKIN CANCERSKIN CANCER

• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States

• The two most common types of skin cancer are highly curable:– Basal cell– Squamous cell carcinoma

• The 3rd most common type, melanoma, is very dangerous

UV LIGHTUV LIGHT• About 65%–90% of melanomas are caused by

exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light• The 3 types of UV rays are:– UVA (the most common kind of sunlight, reaches beyond top

layer of skin)– UVB (absorbed by ozone layer, less common but still damaging)– UVC (rare and very dangerous)

• Too much exposure:– changes skin texture– causes skin to age prematurely– leads to skin cancer.

UV INDEXUV INDEX

• Developed by The National Weather Service & the Environmental Protection Agency

• Forecasts risk of overexposure to UV rays

• Lets you know how much caution to take when going outdoors

• The UV Index predicts exposure levels on a 1–15 scale; higher levels indicate a higher risk of overexposure.

Who is at risk?Who is at risk?• People with certain risk factors are more likely

than others to develop skin cancer:– A lighter natural skin color– Family history of skin cancer– A personal history of skin cancer– Exposure to the sun through work and play– A history of sunburns early in life– A history of indoor tanning– Skin that burns, freckles, reddens easily, or becomes painful in

the sun– Blue or green eyes– Blond or red hair– Certain types and a large number of moles

Tanning and BurningTanning and Burning• UV rays come from the sun or from using a tanning bed, booth,

or sunlamp

• When UV rays reach the skin's inner layer, the skin makes more melanin (the pigment that colors the skin). It moves toward the outer layers of the skin and becomes visible as a tan.

• A tan does not indicate good health and is a response to injury, because skin cells signal that they have been hurt by UV rays by producing more pigment.

• People burn or tan depending on their skin type, the time of year, and how long they are exposed to UV rays. 

PreventionPrevention• Avoiding the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (rays

are strongest)• Seek shade during midday hours.• Wear protective clothing• Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade the face, head,

ears, and neck• Wear sunglasses that block close to 100% of both

UVA and UVB rays• Use sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or

higher• Avoid indoor tanning.

Checking for cancerChecking for cancer• Fair skinned men and women aged 65 and older, and

people with atypical moles or more than 50 moles, are at greater risk for developing melanoma and should get checked regularly

• Remain alert for skin abnormalities when conducting physical examinations

• Look for changes to skin, new moles/marks, change in skin texture… any doubt, ask a doctor to check!

INDOOR TANNINGINDOOR TANNING• =Using a tanning bed, booth, or sunlamp to get tan

• It has been linked with skin cancers including melanoma (the deadliest type of skin cancer), squamous cell carcinoma, and cancers of the eye (ocular melanoma)

• It exposes users to both UV-A and UV-B rays

• People who begin tanning younger than age 35 have a 75% higher risk of melanoma.

• Use also increases the risk of wrinkles and eye damage

MelanomaMelanoma• Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer.• It begins in skin cells called melanocytes.• Melanocytes are the cells that make melanin,

which gives skin its color and protects the deeper layers of the skin from harmful UV rays.

• When people spend time in the sun or in tanning booths, the melanocytes make more melanin and cause the skin to tan.

• If the skin receives too much ultraviolet light, the melanocytes may begin to grow abnormally and become cancerous. This condition is called melanoma.

MelanomaMelanoma• The first sign is often a change in the size, shape, or color

of a mole. It can also appear on the body as a new mole.

• In men, melanoma most often shows up: – on the upper body, between shoulders and hips – on the head and neck

• In women, melanoma often develops on the lower legs.

• In dark-skinned people, melanoma often appears: – under the fingernails or toenails – on the palms of the hands – on the soles of the feet

• These are the most common, but it can appear anywhere!!

TreatmentTreatment• Topical Medication (multiple areas)

• Curettage (scrape for biopsy)

• Shave Removal (topical)

• Cryosurgery (freeze area)

• Dermabrasion

• Chemical Peeling

• Laser Surgery

Advanced MelanomaAdvanced Melanoma• the cancer has spread from where it

started to another part of the body

• Melanoma may have already spread when it is diagnosed   

• Melanoma may spread to another area even after treated at the original area (recurrent cancer)

Melanoma can spread…

References

• http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/