Month focuses on skin cancer Published July 1, 2015 By Maj. Sean McCarthy 60th Medical Operations Squadron TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Not a day goes by when I don't hear, "In my day, we didn't know about sunscreen." Truth be told, I had my share of sunburns as a kid as well. In today's world, one might expect a person's intense sun exposure to decrease. However, in a 2012 report, half of all adults ages 18 to 29 reported at least one sunburn in the past 12 months. So what? As it turns out, close to 90 percent of the most common skin cancers are associated with exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. In fact, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime and each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than new cases of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer combined. Now for the real shocker. Many of these cases are preventable. So what do you need to know? There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Basal cell skin cancers are rarely life threatening, but can be locally destructive if ignored and are mostly related to periods of intense sun exposure or sunburns. As a result, they are almost always seen on sun-exposed body sites, such as scalp, ears, nose, neck and forearms. They typically appear as a pearly bump with prominent blood vessels and may be painful or bleed. People at highest risk are those with fair skin or a history of sunburns or chronic sun exposure. Surgical removal is typically curative. Squamous cell skin cancer is more dangerous than BCC but also is usually not life threatening. However, it can spread to other body sites (metastasis) if left untreated. They are more often related to chronic sun exposure and are the most common skin cancer among African-American patients. They, too, develop in sun-exposed areas, but can also develop on the mucous membranes of the lips and mouth. They typically appear as more scaly patches or bumps and can appear wart-like. Surgical removal is again curative. In contrast to BCC and SCC, one person dies of melanoma every 57 minutes. Melanoma can appear on any body site, not only sun exposed areas. It can develop from existing moles or from normal-appearing skin. Usually they are black or brown spots but can be flesh colored. As with BCC and SCC, sun exposure is a major risk factor but genetics also plays a role in melanoma development. The more moles you have, the higher your risk of melanoma. Also, patients with a first-degree relative with melanoma are at 50 percent greater risk of developing melanoma than someone with no family history of melanoma. Melanoma is much more likely to spread to other body sites and sometimes requires extensive surgery or even chemotherapy to treat, so it is imperative that it be caught early. Prevention of these skin cancers is accomplished by sun protection and sun avoidance strategies. Avoid the sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when UV radiation is highest. Avoid tanning and never use UV tanning beds. Of melanoma cases among 18-to-29-year-olds who tanned indoors, 76 percent were attributable to tanning bed use. Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses. Use a broad spectrum of UVA or UVB sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day. Reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating. Regular daily use of an SPF 15 or higher sunscreen reduces the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by 40 percent and the risk of developing melanoma by 50 percent. Keep newborns less than 6 months old out of the sun. Newborn skin is too sensitive for sunscreen. Sunscreens may be used on babies starting at the age of 6 months but aerosol sunscreens should be avoided. In addition, examine your skin head-to-toe every month to look for anything suspicious. Finally, see your physician for a skin exam if you have any specific concerns. For more information about skin cancer prevention, check the 60th MDG Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dgmcoffical.