By Nicole Manger
Arizona Daily Wildcat
April 10, 1998

Campus Health scans for sun's cancerous effects

Kate Kreamer breathed a sigh of relief after receiving a free skin cancer screening yesterday at the Student Recreation Center.

"I was laying out when they set up, and I felt guilty," said Kreamer, a fine arts freshman.

Her guilt is justified. Although the physician who closely examined her back, face and ears with scrutiny found no signs of cancer, she lives in an area with the highest rate of non-melanoma skin cancer in the world.

Holly Avey, health educator for the Campus Health Center, estimated five out of the 100 participants at the screening had pre-cancerous symptoms.

Campus Health chose to set up the screening events by the Rec Center's pool to promote the event to those most at risk - tanners.

About 50 students were basking pool side during the 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. screening.

"We live in an age of information overload," Avey said. "I am not surprised that people chose to ignore information about skin cancer. They will learn over time."

The daily use of a sun block with a sun protection factor of 30, reapplying every two hours, will protect skin from harmful ultraviolet rays, Avey said. Staying out of the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. will also reduce the risk of exposure, she said.

Jill Rubio, wildlife ecology senior, learned about the screening while exercising at the Rec Center.

She said she thought the check was important because she spends about three hours a day in the sun, including riding her bike to class.

Even small amounts of time in the sun can be harmful, Avey warned. Arizona's intense sun exposure has given the state a No. 1 ranking in the nation for cases of malignant melanoma skin cancer. Only people in Queensland, Australia have a greater risk.

The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. These comprise about 80 percent of all diagnosed cancers, but have a better than 95 percent cure rate if detected early.

"This is something everybody should do," said Brad Thames, anthropology and religious studies junior. "The earlier you treat it, the better chance you have of getting through it."

Thames said he has a hard time avoiding the sun, since he hikes, runs or swims for about two hours a day.

Charles McDuffie, program coordinator for Campus Health, said he waited in line for a screening because he noticed "strange spots on his body."

Although McDuffie spends little time in the sun now, he said living on the beaches of Florida during his childhood put him at risk for skin cancer.

Wearing a wide brim hat and sunglasses, UA groundskeeper Jeanne Andrade sat in line for screenings with five other Facilities Management employees.

Andrade has worked in the sun for six years - four at the UA. She was at the screening because she said she was concerned about a small mole on the side of her nose.

"I wear sunscreen all the time and a hat as much as possible," Andrade said. "I even wear sunscreen in the winter."

Avey said the key to skin protection is to respect the elements.

"In cold weather, people put on a hat and gloves to protect their skin," Avey said.

She advises people to wear sunscreen and sunglasses and drink lots of water.

Campus Health offers the free screening only once a year, but students can receive a skin cancer screening at any time by making an appointment at the Campus Health Center.

Sun by the Numbers

UVINDEX

The UV Index is a number from zero to 10 determined by the National Weather Service and the Environmental Protection Agency. It rates the levels of ultraviolet radiation reaching the area. Take special precautions when the index predicts UV levels of five or above.

You can call the Environmental Protection Agency at (800) 296-1996 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST for the daily index. The current index is also available on the World Wide Web at http://nic.fb4.noaa.gov/products/stratosphere/uv_index/uv_current.html

SUN PROTECTION FACTOR

SPF is an index that indicates the length of time a protection of sunscreen will provide. Figure out the amount of time it takes your skin to burn in the noon sun and multiply by the number on the bottle.

SPF 15 x 10 minutes = 150 minutes, or 2 1/2 hours before reapplying

Source: Campus Health Center