One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in his or her lifetime, according to an estimate by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and a cancer expert says early detection and prevention measures are critical.
Dr. Lawrence Mark, associate professor of clinical dermatology at Indiana University, said those with fair skin and lighter-colored hair and eyes are typically more prone to skin cancer. However, he said, that does not preclude those with darker complexions.
Mark listed other factors people should think about when considering their own risk.
"I used the tanning bed multiple times. I got multiple blistering, peeling sunburns. I have a family history of first-degree relatives with melanoma. You compound those all together and you get higher and higher levels of risk,” said Mark.
People can reduce their risk by limiting sun exposure by wearing hats and long sleeves, and using a sunscreen that protects them against UV rays, he said, adding that they also should avoid being outside when the sun is at its strongest.
Mark said the sun should not be an enemy, as the body does need the vitamin D it helps to produce - but it doesn't take much time outside to get it.
"Even if you are wearing sunscreen, you're actually not blocking 100 percent of the sun's rays when you do that, and so if someone is out with sunscreen on, they're still producing vitamin D nonetheless,” added Mark.
Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. While it accounts for less than 5 percent of all cases of skin cancer, Mark said, it results in the most deaths. His advice is to watch for changes in skin.
"Look out for an ugly duckling. You may have some brown freckles, some rough spots here and there, but if you've got this thing that is out of the ordinary, it's not like any of the others. I mean, there's something odd. That should be a sign to say, 'I should have somebody evaluate that,’” said Mark.
Another tip for detection is to consider the "A-B-C-D-Es" when it comes to skin spots: "A" for asymmetry, "B" for the border, "C" for color variability, "D" for diameter and "E" for evolving.
