Skin Cancer

1
Skin Cancer
2
Introduction

• All life on Earth depends on the energy from the
  Sun. It is this energy that allows plants to
  produce glucose, but it is also this energy, in
  the form of ultraviolet (UV) photons, that can
  damage the DNA in your cells and cause skin
  cancer. Did you know that skin cancer is the most
  common type of cancer in the United States? It is
  estimated that there are more than one million
  new cases of skin cancer in the United States
  each year. The incidence of skin cancer has been
  on the rise for the last few decades, even in
  young adults. Long-term exposure to ultraviolet
  rays increases the risk for developing skin
  cancer. In fact, a woman or man who uses a
  tanning bed more than once a month is 55 more
  likely to develop melanoma, the deadliest form of
  skin cancer. The good news is that skin cancer
  can be prevented and is highly treatable when
  caught early.

3
Objectives (Today I will)

• Determine the precautions you can take to protect
  yourself from skin cancer
• Investigate your risk factors for skin cancer
• Learn how to do a self-examination for suspicious
  moles

4
Real World Application

• Melanoma video

5
2 Main Types of Skin Cancer

• Basal and Squamous Cell Carcinoma
• Melanoma
• These account for more than 99 of all skin
  cancers.

6
Basal Cell Carcinoma

• Non-melanoma skin cancer
• Small, fleshy bump or nodule on the head, neck,
  or hands
• Accounts for more than 90 percent of all skin
  cancers in the United States
• Usually treated successfully95
• (American Academy of Dermatology)

7
Squamous Cell Carcinoma

• Non-melanoma carcinoma
• May appear as nodules, or as red,
  rough/scaly/crusted patches of skin
• Usually treated successfully95 (American
  Academy of Dermatology)
• Second most common skin cancer found in
  Caucasians

8
Basal/Squamous Cell CarcinomasWho is at Risk ?

• Light hair
• light eyes
• fair complexions
• Do not tan easily

9
Melanoma

• AKA cutaneous melanoma or malignant melanoma
• Cancer cells form from the melanocytes
• 9 of all skin cancers, but has the highest
  death rate
• 75 percent of all deaths from skin cancer

10
Who is at Risk?

• Blond or red hair
• Blue eyes
• Fair complexion
• Family history of melanoma
• Many ordinary moles (more than 50)
• Many freckles
• Immunosuppressive disorder
• Sun exposure
• Inability to tan

11
Other Factors

• Heredity
• Occupational exposure to coal tar, pitch,
  creosote, arsenic compounds, or radium.
• Elevation - ultraviolet light is stronger as
  elevation increases
• Latitude - the rays of the sun are strongest near
  the equator.
• Cloud cover - places with regular cloud cover may
  actually reduce UV

12
Controllable Risk Factors

• Excessive Tanning
• Not using Sunscreen (or other UV blocking methods)

13
How do you know? Is it a mole or melanoma?

• Use the ABCDE rule
• A asymmetry
• B borders
• C color variation
• D diameter
• E evolving (changing)

14
Things to look for

• AAsymmetry (the left side of the lesion is
  unlike the right side)

15
Things to look for

• BBorder Irregularity (the lesion has a scalloped
  or poorly defined border)

16
Things to look for

• CColor Variation (not all parts of the lesion
  are the same color within the lesion may be
  patches of tan, brown, black, pink, white or blue)

17
Things to look for

• DDiameter (while melanomas are usually greater
  than 6mm in diameter when diagnosed, they can be
  smaller.  If you notice a mole different from
  others, or which changes, itches or bleeds even
  if it is smaller than 6mm, you should see a
  dermatologist)

18
Common Items That are 6mm in Diameter
19
Things to look for

• EEvolving
• (Has the mole or skin lesion changed color, size
  or shape? Does it looks different than the
  others?)

20
Dans Story

• Dans Story If only he had known

21
Homework

• Complete the personal risk assessment
• Due Monday March 23rd

22
References

• Different Types Of Skin Cancer. In Squidoo
  discussion list on the Internet. 2010 cited
  2010 July 13. Available from http//www.squidoo.
  com/differenttypesofskincancer
• Skin Cancer. discussion list on the Internet.
  University of Maryland Medicine 2003 May 16
  cited 2010 July 12. Available from
  http//www.umm.edu/skincancer/index.htm
• The ABCDEs of moles and melanomas. In
  Cancernetwork.com discussion list on the
  Internet. UBM Medica 2010 Mar. 9 cited 2010
  July 13. Available from http//www.cancernetwork
  .com/cancer-management-12/coloratlas1/article/1016
  5/1535070