Dr. Shanna Meads will lead this week’s Walk With a Doc event on Thursday. She will discuss skin cancer detection and prevention.

Walk With a Doc is a project of the Smith County Medical Society and gathers at Rose Rudman Park at Copeland Road in Tyler. Registration is at 5:45 p.m., with a brief health presentation at 6 p.m. followed by walking. For more information on Walk With a Doc, call the Smith County Medical Society office at 903-593-7058 or visit www.walkwith adoc.org/our-loca tions /tyler-tx/.

 

Q: How common is skin cancer and who is most at risk?

A: Approximately five million people receive treatment for skin cancer annually in the United States. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer during a lifetime. Every year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer. Melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer, continues to increase in incidence and is the most common type of cancer in young adults between the ages of 25 to 29 years.

Persons with a history of chronic, excessive sun exposure are at greatest risk for developing skin cancer. The following are risk factors for all types of skin cancer: fair skin; blond or red hair; multiple moles or freckles; history of multiple sunburns; history of tanning bed use; family history of skin cancer; and history of immunosuppression. An individual’s risk of melanoma doubles if he or she has had more than five sunburns.

 

Q: What are early signs of skin cancer?

A: Skin cancer may appear as a non-healing growth that bleeds easily, scabs or itches. A mole that has asymmetry, irregular borders, color variation and size greater than 6 mm should be examined by a dermatologist.

 

Q: What treatments are available when cancer is found?

A: Treatment is based on tumor type, size, location and depth in addition to patient’s age and overall health. If diagnosed at an early stage while still confined to the skin, most skin cancers can be surgically removed in the outpatient setting. Mohs micrographic surgery is a specialized surgical technique that is used to treat skin cancers located in high-risk locations – such as nose, ears, eyelids and lips – and larger tumors on the trunk and extremities. With this procedure, the tumor is excised with a narrow margin of surrounding skin followed by detailed mapping of the specimen and complete microscopic examination. Radiation therapy or chemotherapy may be required for advanced, unresectable or metastatic skin cancers.

 

Q: What are some preventive measures to reduce the risk of skin cancer?

A: The best way to reduce the risk of skin cancer is to limit sun exposure. Avoid sunburns and tanning bed use. Seek the shade between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Wear a broad-brimmed hat, sunglasses and sun protective clothing. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher, to sun-exposed skin at least 30 minutes before going outside and reapply sunscreen every two hours. Check your skin once a month for suspicious growths or moles and see a dermatologist annually for a complete skin exam.

 

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