Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month is May - UMCCC

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May is National Melanoma/
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		Home > Cancer and Treatments > Skin Cancer Program Homepage > Melanoma Diagnosis and Treatment May is National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month Audio Selection Melanoma: Questions & Answers If you prefer, right click on the link to download the MP3 file. Early Detection Increases Survival May is National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month. This month is dedicated to increasing public awareness of the importance of skin cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment, including basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma. There are more than one million skin cancers diagnosed each year in the United States. That's more than cancers of the prostate, breast, lung, colon, uterus, ovaries and pancreas combined. And the number of skin cancers has been on the rise for the past few decades. In 2009, an estimated 68,720 new cases will be diagnosed with melanoma and an estimated 8,650 deaths from melanoma. Of growing concern among dermatologists is the fact that melanoma is now the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common cancer in adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old. Early diagnosis is the key to curing this potentially deadly disease, and diagnostic tools are playing a crucial role in aiding dermatologists to spot melanomas at earlier - and more curable - stages. Who Survives Skin Cancer? For basal cell or squamous cell cancers, a cure is highly likely if detected and treated early. Melanoma, even though it can spread to other body parts quickly, is also highly curable if detected early and treated properly. The 5-year relative survival rate for patients with melanoma is 91%. For localized melanoma, the 5-year survival rate is 99%; survival rates for regional and distant stage diseases are 65% and 16% respectively. About 80% of melanomas are diagnosed at a localized stage. Learn more from the American Cancer Society and American Academy of Dermatology. Articles Skin Cancer (Non-melanoma) Skin cancer (Melanoma) Skin cancer (Merkel Cell) National Cancer Institute: General Information Intraocular (eye) Melanoma News from the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center: Rare skin tumor behaves differently than melanoma U-M scientists probe limits of 'cancer stem-cell model'; Melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer, does not fit the model American Academy of Dermatology: Indoor Tanning is Out New Study Evaluates Effectiveness Of Vitamins For The Treatment Of Sun-Damaged Skin Melanoma Update: Recent Technological Advances Are Helping Dermatologists Diagnose and Treat Early Stage Melanomas Skin Cancer Foundation: Your Health: Even treatable skin cancer is no sunny experience Risk Factors Your skin type is one of the main factors in your risk for skin cancer. There are six skin phototypes, going from light to dark. Individuals with skin types I and II face the highest risk of developing skin cancer, while types V and VI are at the lowest risk. That is because those with more pigmentation have more natural protection from the sun. However, people with darker skin can nonetheless get skin cancer. Like light-skinned people, they should be cautious of the sun and have regular examinations by a doctor. Visit the Skin Cancer Foundation's Skin Types and At Risk Groups Guidelines page for more information. A risk factor is anything that affects your chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. For example, unprotected exposure to strong sunlight is a risk factor for skin cancer, and smoking is a risk factor for cancers of the lung, mouth, throat, kidneys, bladder, and several other organs. But risk factors don't tell us everything. Having a risk factor, or even several risk factors, does not mean that you will get the disease. And many people who get the disease may not have had any known risk factors. Even if a person with basal or squamous cell skin cancer has a risk factor, it is often very hard to know how much that risk factor may have contributed to the cancer. What Are The Risk Factors for Non-Melanoma and Melanoma Skin Cancer? unprotected and/or excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation fair complexion occupational exposures to coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds, or radium family history multiple or atypical moles severe sunburns as a child Learn more about the risk factors and how to protect yourself from non-melanoma skin cancer on the American Cancer Society's Prevention & Early Detection: Skin Cancer - Nonmelanoma web page. Learn more about the risk factors and how to protect yourself from melanoma skin cancer on the American Cancer Society's Prevention & Early Detection: Skin Cancer - Melanoma web page. Symptoms What are the signs and symptoms of skin cancer? Skin cancer can be found early, and both doctors and patients play important roles in finding skin cancer. If you have any of the following symptoms, tell your doctor. any change on the skin, especially in the size or color of a mole or other darkly pigmented growth or spot, or a new growth scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or change in the appearance of a bump or nodule the spread of pigmentation beyond its border such as dark coloring that spreads past the edge of a mole or mark a change in sensation, itchiness, tenderness, or pain Please see also the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center's Skin Cancer Screening Card: Be Smart About Your Skin, Know your ABCD's. Prevention Guidelines Since its inception in 1979, The Skin Cancer Foundation has always recommended using a sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher as one important part of a complete sun protection regimen. Sunscreen alone is not enough, however. Most skin cancers are preventable. To protect yourself, follow these skin cancer prevention tips: Seek the shade, especially between 10 A.M. and 4 P.M. Do not burn. Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day. Apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours. Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses. Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens should be used on babies over the age of six months. Examine your skin head-to-toe every month. See your physician every year for a professional skin exam. See also: Melanoma Screening and Prevention American Cancer Society: Don't Forget the Sunscreen American Academy of Dermatology: Performing a Skin Self-Exam Finding Free Skin Screenings Take action Make an appointment UM Resources Skin Cancer Program UM Melanoma Clinic UM Merkel Cell Clinic UM Dermatology Department UM Cutaneous Oncology Clinic (MOH's Clinic) - Basal and Squamous Cell UM Kellog Eye Center-Retina, Uveitis, and Ocular Oncology UM Cancer Genetics Clinic Talk to a nurse Cancer AnswerLine 800-865-1125 Look for a Clinical Trial UMCCC Skin Cancer and Melanoma Clinical Trials on UMClinicalStudies.org Resources UM - Interferon Treatment for Melanoma. National Cancer Institute Resources: General Information about Melanoma General Information about Skin Cancer (non-melanoma) American Cancer Society Resources What's new in research for treating Squamous and Basal Cell Skin Cancers? What's new in research for treating Melanoma Skin Cancer? American Academy of Dermatology - Toll free number: 1-888-462-3376 (888-462-DERM) Skin Cancer Foundation - Toll free number: 800-754-6490 (1-800-SKIN-490) NCCN-National Comprehensive Cancer Network CDC-Center for Disease Control and Prevention American College of MOH's Surgery MOH's Micrographic Surgery Return to the top of the page		Adjust text size

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