Frequency of skin cancer, melanoma rising; UA students among those at greatest risk

By Raya Tahan

Arizona Daily Wildcat

"If you have skin, you're at risk" is the motto of the Skin Cancer Education and Prevention Conference.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with more than 1 million cases diagnosed each year. The deadliest form, melanoma, is expected to cause 7,200 deaths this year. Melanoma is the most common type of cancer among people under 30 years of age, said the conference.

A survey by the American Academy of Dermatology said that almost all people under 25 do not know the warning signs of melanoma and 85 percent of them do not know what melanoma is. The survey also found that four out of every five people do not examine their skin for signs of cancer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sun exposure damages are cumulative, and half of most people's lifetime of sun exposure occurs by age 18.

"Students at UA have potential exposure to more sunlight than at universities in other regions," said Dr. Joseph Giancola, a dermatology resident at the UA Student Health Center.

Ecology and evolutionary biology senior Susannah Fogle, a lifeguard at the Campus Recreation Center pool, said she is very conscious about developing skin cancer.

She currently spends three days per week in the sun for five hours each day. During the summer, she said, she is in the sun for almost eight hours every day of the week.

To protect her skin, Fogle said, she uses sunblock with a 45 skin protection factor on her entire body each time she is in the sun.

"I definitely use sunscreen," Fogle said. "I also get screened every year at the dermatologist because I am out in the sun a lot and I think about skin cancer.

"The majority of people who lay out here are probably too dark for their own good," she said. "They don't seem to be thinking about skin cancer now, but they probably will be in a few years."

Media arts junior Kristen White said she currently lays in the sun about once per week and averages three times per week during the summer.

"I like to have a little color," she said. "When I lay out, I allow myself to sunburn because it then turns into a tan."

She said she sometimes uses a 15 SPF sunscreen on her nose and her shoulders because she has blistered in those areas.

"I know if I keep blistering there, I am going to get some kind of skin cancer," she said.

Giancola said avoiding and protecting yourself from the sun are the only things a person can do to prevent skin cancer. A family history of skin cancer puts one at a greater risk for developing it.

White said, "I'm scared of skin cancer because I'm very fair-skinned and both of my parents have had cancerous moles removed from their faces."

Giancola said people who receive frequent sun exposure should see a dermatologist and do self-examinations regularly. Skin cancer is one of the easiest cancers to detect and can be cured if detected early.

A self-examination consists of looking over the skin for any changes in the size, color, shape or texture of a mole, the development of a new mole or any unusual change in the skin. Any of these signs should be reported to a dermatologist, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Giancola said avoiding the sun is the best prevention against skin cancer. If sunlight exposure is unavoidable, physical blocks such as clothing and sunscreen are effective protectors.

Giancola said that he would like those who enjoy the look of a tan to realize the sun is bad for their skin and invest in self-tanning products. While these resulted in orange skin when they originally came out about 10 years ago, he said, they are now very natural-looking.

Surgery and topical treatments for skin cancer are available at the Student Health Center.

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