The Burden of Skin Cancer
The Burden of Skin Cancer
By


Newsfeed display by CaRP Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The three major types of skin cancer are the highly curable basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas and the more serious malignant melanoma. The American Cancer Society estimates that during 2003, about 1 million new cases of basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma and about 54,200 new cases of malignant melanoma will be diagnosed. It is also expected that skin cancer will claim the lives of approximately 9,800 Americans.

Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays appears to be the most important environmental factor involved in the development of skin cancer. When used consistently, sun-protective practices can prevent skin cancer. UV rays from artificial sources of light, such as tanning beds and sunlamps, are as dangerous as those from the sun and should also be avoided. Although both tanning and burning can increase a person's risk for skin cancer, most Americans do not consistently protect themselves from UV rays. A recent survey sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that approximately 43% of white children under age 12 had at least one sunburn during the past year.

In the United States, over 1,000,000 people are expected to get BCC or SCC this year. An additional 55,100 will develop melanoma. An estimated 7,910 individuals will die from melanoma.

To understand the significant increase in skin cancer rates, consider these facts. In the 1930s the lifetime risk of getting invasive melanoma was 1 in 1500. By contrast, the predicted lifetime chance for those living in the year 2000 was approximately 1 in 75, or 20 times the 1930s risk! People living in California have a greater risk for melanoma than the national average.

Sun exposure at any age can cause skin cancer. Be especially careful in the sun if you burn easily, spend a lot of time outdoors, or have any of the following physical features:
a. Numerous, irregular, or large moles.
b. Freckles.
c. Fair skin.
d. Blond, red, or light brown hair.

More Hazards From too Much Sunlight.

Since sun exposure is understood to be the major cause of skin cancer, it is extremely important to protect children and youth from too much sunshine. This caution is reinforced by the fact that up to 50 percent of an individual’s lifetime contact with sunshine occurs before adulthood - at least for children who, as adults, acquire indoor occupations. A teacher or parent’s efforts to help children adopt sun-safe behaviors are much preferred to treating skin cancer later in life.
The sun’s role in skin cancer results from its emission of invisible UV rays, which includes UVA and UVB. These two sectors of UV rays enter the skin cells causing both visible and invisible injuries. During the middle of the day, outdoor areas can be likened to a radiation chamber.

Sunburn is an example of visible injury. Childhood sunburns likely increase the risk that children will get melanoma in adulthood. Less well known is that tanning is actually an outward sign of internal damage as the skin desperately tries to protect itself. Unfortunately, a tan offers an inadequate defense against future solar assault.

Ozone, a naturally occurring “sunscreen” in the stratosphere above us, partially filters out harmful UVB. Unfortunately, the ozone layer is thinning from the release of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) into the air, along with other factors. CFCs are used in refrigerants, insulating foams, and solvents, etc. To slow down ozone layer destruction, many countries have signed treaties such as the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, which phase out the use of CFCs and other like substances.

UV rays linked to skin cancer development are more intense (destructive) under certain timeframes or conditions, usually related to the sun’s angle to the earth and/or the depth of atmosphere through which the sun’s rays must pass:
1. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
2. From mid-spring through mid-fall.
3. At geographical latitudes nearer the equator (like Australia).
4. At higher altitudes.
5. Absent thick cloud cover.
6. With highly reflective surfaces such as water, snow, or light-colored sand, etc.

Individuals should also understand that tanning parlors, sun lamps, and sun beds emit UV radiation that is often more damaging than natural sunlight. Remember there is no safe tan resulting from UV exposure!

The UV Index predicts the concentration of UV rays bombarding a given geographical area. Since early Autumn 2000, there is a new, free service on the Internet that allows individuals to enter their zip code and obtain their neighborhood's predicted UV Index for the day.

Sunshine is both friend and foe. The sun provides warmth and light, improves mental health, kills germs, and is essential for growth and development of most living things. Unfortunately, excessive sun exposure can cause blistering sunburns, premature aging (wrinkles and blotches), cataracts, a weakened immune system, and skin cancer. (A cataract is a loss of transparency in the lens of the eye that clouds vision.)

With over one million new cases each year, skin cancer is now considered epidemic. This year there will be more new cases of skin cancer than the total of new cancers of the prostate, breast, lung, and colon combined! One of every five Americans is expected to get skin cancer in his or her lifetime.
Sunlight is believed to cause 90 percent of all skin cancer. The number of skin cancer cases has dramatically risen, especially in the last two to three decades, from these and other factors:
1. Increase in leisure time devoted to outdoor activities.
2. Decrease in coverage of modern clothing.
3. The current erroneous view that tanned skin is healthy/desirable.
4. Decreasing amounts of stratospheric ozone, which partially protects the earth's surface from receiving cancer-producing ultraviolet (UV) radiation, principally from the sun.
5. National population migration to sunnier regions/states.
6. General aging of the population, nationwide.

During April 2000, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services--for the first time--listed solar radiation as a "known human carcinogen" via the Ninth Report on Carcinogens. Thus the Department effectively stated that UV rays had officially joined the ranks of known cancer-causing elements like arsenic, asbestos, radon, and tobacco smoke. Building on this declaration, the Office of Safety and Health Administration-during July 2000 - released formal sun safety protection guidelines for outdoor workers.

Skin cancer can afflict any person regardless of skin color. Individuals most likely to get skin cancer will tend to have some of these characteristics:
1. Fair skin.
2. Blue, green, or hazel eyes.
3. Light-colored hair (non-black).
4. Freckles.
5. Tendency to burn rather than tan.
6. History of severe sunburns.
7. Have many moles (especially 50 or more).
8. Personal or family history of skin cancer.
9. Outdoor occupation.

Many medications also increase a person’s sensitivity to light and therefore the risk for skin cancer. Some common examples include Aleve, Advil, Motrin, and Tetracycline to name a few. Read the medicine label or ask your pharmacist or doctor about your circumstances.

How to Protect People from Getting Skin Cancer.

Here are the basic strategies to shield children and adults from excessive sun exposure:
1. Reduce sun exposure from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., when UV rays are strongest. This is especially important from mid-spring through mid-fall.
2. Wear a wide-brimmed hat with at least a four-inch brim that produces a shadow that covers the nose, eyes, face, ears, and back of neck. A bandana covering the neck can also help.
3. Wear tightly woven, loose fitting clothing that covers as much of the body as possible.
4. Find shade (trees, physical structures) to shield you, especially from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
5. Use sunglasses that include a warranty stating they provide 100 percent UVA and UVB (broad-spectrum) protection.
6. Liberally apply sunscreen to exposed skin 20 minutes before venturing outdoors. 7. The sunscreen container should have a sun protection factor (SPF) rating of 15 or above and should state that it provides broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB) protection. 8. Lotion- or cream-based sunscreens tend to adhere to the skin longer, thus providing better protection.
9. PABA-free sunscreens are recommended for persons with sensitive skin. 10. Susceptible individuals may also want to avoid oxybenzone and dioxbenzone (check the label). To test if a given sunscreen will cause an allergic reaction, apply it on a small patch of skin on the underside of the forearm and monitor the skin's response for 24 hours. To reduce development of wrinkles and skin aging, look for sunscreens that contain either zinc oxide (z-cote), or Parsol 1789 (avobenzone). The June 2001 issue of Consumer Reports rates a number of sunscreen products.
11. Depending on outdoor conditions, sunscreen should be re-applied at least every two hours.
12. Warning: Don't depend on sunscreens alone to protect children and adults from skin cancer. Instead, rely as much as possible on a combination of all the guidelines here listed.
13. Please note that the SPF number on the sunscreen tube indicates how many times longer-under ideal conditions-a person can stay out in the sun without beginning to turn red in comparison with the amount of time totally unprotected skin would start to burn. 14. Research indicates these numbers are sometimes overstated.
15. Avoid tanning salons, beds, and sunlamps.

Skin Cancer Types.

There are actually over 200 types of cancer that can invade skin tissue. The three major forms of cancer that originate in the skin are basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and the deadliest form - malignant melanoma.

Skin cancer can develop anywhere on the body but most often appears on surfaces receiving the greatest amount of sunshine. BCC and SCC often take the form of a pale, wax-like, pearly bump or a red, scaly, sharply outlined patch. The patches may crust, discharge pus, and sometimes bleed.

If not treated early, SCC may spread to other parts of the body. Less than one percent of people with SCC or BCC will die from skin cancer. For many people, these two skin cancers can cause some disfigurement based on the amount of damaged skin the physician must remove. Luckily, the negative effects of surgery can be greatly minimized when the diseases are treated in their early stages.

Malignant melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. It often arises from or near a mole. It often appears on parts of the body, which receive little direct sunlight.

There are four basic warning signs that should prompt individuals to visit their physician, especially a dermatologist. Examine moles or growths for:
1. Asymmetry: an imaginary line drawn through the mole produces two halves that do not match.
2. Border: the border of the mole has an irregular shape or notched (jagged) edges.
3. Color: the color is not uniform but has a mixture or "bleeding” of colors such as black, brown, red, and blue, etc.
4. Diameter: the distance across is larger than a standard pencil eraser.
NOTE: Melanoma rates have increased three to four percent each year since at least the early eighties.

Whether or not an individual practices the previously stated skin cancer prevention methods, it is wise to perform a self-skin examination using a hand mirror at least once every one to three months and to seek an annual medical examination. The possible first signs of developing skin cancer can often be self-observed according to the characteristics described earlier regarding moles and growths. See your doctor if you suspect any problems.

It's important to examine your body monthly because skin cancers detected early can almost always be cured. The most important warning sign is a spot on the skin that is changing in size, shape, or color during a period of 1 month to 1 or 2 years.

Skin cancers often take the following forms:
1. Pale, wax-like, pearly nodules.
2. Red, scaly, sharply outlined patches.
3. Sores that don't heal.
4. Small, mole-like growths - melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer.
If you find such unusual skin changes, see a health care professional immediately.

Block Out UV Rays:
1. Cover up. Wear tightly woven clothing that blocks out light. Try this test: Place your hand between a single layer of the clothing and a light source. If you can see your hand through the fabric, the garment offers little protection.
2. Use sunscreen. A sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 blocks 93 percent of UV rays. You want to block both UVA and UVB rays to guard against skin cancer. Be sure to follow application directions on the bottle.
3. Wear a hat. A wide brim hat (not a baseball cap) is ideal because it protects the neck, ears, eyes, forehead, nose, and scalp.
4. Wear UV-absorbent shades. Sunglasses don't have to be expensive, but they should block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB radiation.
5. Limit exposure. UV rays are most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you're unsure about the sun's intensity, take the shadow test: If your shadow is shorter than you, the sun's rays are the day's strongest.
del.icio.us

Rating:


0/5 based on 0 votes. The median rating is 0.

Submitted: 07/27/06

Description: Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The three major types of skin cancer are the highly curable basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas and the more serious malignant melanoma.

Views: 426 views. Averaging 0 per day.
In the most recent 30 day period, there've been 5 views.

Related Articles:

Previous Article | Next Article

Free Sitemap Generator