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Video on Skin Cancer Awareness Apr 30, 2010

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Click here to watch!  Warmer weather is here and summer will soon be in full swing.  Many of us are preparing for summer vacations and plentiful outdoor activities.  During the month of May, skin cancer awareness is front and center.  While excessive and prolonged exposure to the sun is a major contributing factor for skin cancer, there are others as well.  Watch the above video, featuring K. Dawn Vincent, M.D., of Belle Meade Dermatology Clinic in Nashville, as she discusses the different types of skin cancer and the best ways to prevent them.  Warm wishes for a healthy and happy summer season from all of us here at Minnie Pearl!

Skin Cancer Awareness Video Transcript

My name is Dawn Vincent and I’m a dermatologist with Belle Meade Dermatology in Nashville. 

Did you know that May is Melanoma Awareness Month?  I want to talk to you today about skin cancer and its prevention.  One in five Americans will develop a skin cancer in his or her lifetime.  One millions new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the US this year alone – that is more than any other form of cancer.  One person dies from melanoma every hour in the US – it is the deadliest skin cancer, accounting for 8,650 deaths in the US last year.   More than 122,000 cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the US this year. 

Melanoma is the most common cancer in people between the ages of 25 to 29.   The good news, however, is that it has a 99% and 5 year survival rate if detected and treated early. 

The most common skin cancers are basil cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas.   These skin cancers arise within the top of layers of the skin, usually on sun-exposed areas and the most frequent locations are the head and neck.  This is a common presentation of a squamous cell carcinoma – it is an alternated bump on the lip, most likely as a smoker.  Squamous cell carcinoma.  Skin cancers can also appear as rough-red scale-y patches that will not heal.  Here is a common presentation of a basil cell skin cancer – it appears as a pearly bump or papule.  Basil cell skin cancers can also appear as rough skin patches but they usually have a pearly edge.  Melanomas are the most deadly form of skin cancer and may appear anywhere on the body.  The most common locations are upper back, torso, lower legs, head and neck.  If you have a mole that is new or an existing mole that has changed in any way, you need to see a dermatologist for an examination.  Dermatologists always counsel on the ABCDEs of melanoma:

A – stands for “Asymmetry.”  If one half of the mole does not look like the other half, the mole is asymmetrical and it should be checked.

B – stands for “Border.”  If the border is uneven or jagged, it needs to be checked.

C – stands for “Color.”  If the color is varied in shades of tan, brown, black, white, red or blue, please see a dermatologist.

D – stands for “Diameter.”  Melanomas are usually large lesions greater than 6 mm which is the size of a pencil eraser.  If you have a large mole, then it needs to be examined.

E – stands for “Evolution.”  If a mole changes in any way, it needs to be examined by a dermatologist.  Here’s an example: this patient first had a small that over the period of a few months changed in its diameter, shape and color and appearance and a prime example of something that needs to be examined by a dermatologist.  Here is an example of a melanoma – as you can see this lesion has a large diameter and is uneven in its shape and border.  Here are other examples of melanomas – as you can see they are large in their diameter and they are very uneven in their color, texture and shape. 

Who is at risk for melanoma? 

Anyone that has a history of sunning exposure or indoor tanning equipment exposure is at risk for melanoma.  If you have had even one blistering sunburn as a child, your risk is increased.  If you have had radiation exposure through any other means like radiation for breast cancer, your risk is increased.  If you have red or blonde hair, fair skin, green or blue eyes, if you have more than 50 moles on your body or moles that are large and atypical, if you have a first degree relative who has had melanoma or you have a personal history of melanoma or if you have a history of other cancers such as breast or thyroid, your risk of melanoma is increased.

How do we prevent skin cancer? 

The most preventable risk factor is sun protection.  As dermatologists, we recommend using sun screens that are broad spectrum and have an SPF (sun protector factor) of at least 30.  You should use a sunscreen every day of the year.  We recommend that you apply sunscreen on a regular basis.  Also wear clothing to protect your skin – long sleeve shirts, pants, wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses will work.  Never visit a tanning bed.  As dermatologists, we recommend self-tanners.   Check your birthday suit whenever possible.  When you get out of the shower – look at your moles.  If you have a mole that is new or has changed in any way, see a dermatologist.  I have patients who have been told to get in the sun daily to increase their vitamin D levels.  The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you get Vitamin D through your diet and supplementation.  We do not know of a safe level of ultra-violet radiation, so please protect your skin when in the sun.  As dermatologists, we recommend sun screen use on a daily basis.  We recommend broad spectrum sunscreens – these are sunscreens that protect your skin from both UVA and UVB rays.  If you have a sunscreen that has an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15, your skin is protected against 93% of UVB rays.  Ultra-violet b-rays are the rays that cause sunburn. If you have a sunscreen that has an SPF of 30, your skin is protected against 97% of UVB rays.  Ultra-violent a-rays are very dangerous as well.  These are the rays that are implicated in pre-mature aging like age spots and wrinkles.   Both UVA and UVB rays have been associated with skin cancer.  Pleas put on your sunscreen 30 minutes before leaving the house – this gives it time to set up a protection barrier in your skin.   We recommend reapply every 1-2 hours and especially after sweating or swimming. 

Once ounce of sunscreen should be enough to cover sun-exposed areas of your body-that is the amount of sunscreen necessary to fill up a one ounce shot glass. 

Tanning Beds

If I might, I would like to talk a bit about tanning beds.  Tanning beds have become extremely popular in the US over the past few years.  1 million people visit tanning beds on a daily basis in the US.  2.5 million teens tan per year in the US.  All indoor tanning equipment including tanning beds emit UVA and UVB rays.  Remember UVA and UVB can cause skin cancer.  Please do not visit tanning beds.  The risk of melanoma is increased 75% when visiting tanning beds especially if you start using tanning beds at an early age. 

If you have been diagnosed with a basil cell or squamous cell carcinoma, please see a dermatologist for follow-up.  You will probably need to have a surgical excision of these lesions.  Dermatologists will make sure that the margins are clear so that your cure rate will be as good as possible.   Both basil cell or squamous cell carcinomas have cure rates approaching 95% when detected and treated early.  After your excision, you must protect your skin at all times from the sun.  The dermatologist will probably want to see you at least 2-3 times a year for the first 2 or 3 years to make sure that you do not have further problems with your skin cancer. 

If you have been diagnosed with a melanoma because this is a more serious form of skin cancer, you will definitely have to have an excision to make sure the melanoma has been cleared from the skin.  If the melanoma is a bit more advanced, your dermatologist may want you to have, in addition to the skin surgery, a lymph node biopsy to make sure the melanoma has not spread to any other site in the body.  After the melanoma, the dermatologist will want to see you at least 2-3 times a year for several years.  As time goes on, if you have no further problems with your skin cancer, you may eventually have skin checks once a year.

For additional information on skin cancers or radiation exposure, please contact minniepearl.org or the American Academy of Dermatology's website at aad.org or call 888-462-DERM.  Thank you so much for your attention.

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