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The sun's ultraviolet rays are the leading cause of skin cancer, a fact that should make people who work or play in the sun reflect.
Skin cancer is the most common form of all cancers in the United States. and the number of cases continues to increase. This is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells. This rapid growth results in benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) tumors.
There are three types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. According to the sole dermatologist of Limestone County, Dr. Stephen Mallette, cumulative sun exposure is the leading cause of basocellular and squamous cell cancers, which are far more common and treatable than melanomas
Mallette, who treated nearly 50,000 patients. According to his 13-year practice in Athens, people living in the Southeast are at increased risk of developing skin cancer because the temperate climate allows people to spend more time outdoors and many more. professions in the South. "The sun exposure depends on the dose," Mallette said. "The more exposure you have to the sun, the more you are at risk."
"I tell my patients," When you were born, you were like an empty glbad. Some of us have a big glbad, others a little drink, but every time you are exposed to the sun, you pour a little into your drink until it finishes to fill up and I have to start treating you for precancerous or cancerous spots. He said.
Risk Factors
Aside from exposure to the sun, Mallette said that people should be aware of the additional risks of skin cancer, including:
• Age. After 45, the risk of developing skin cancer increases;
• Complexion. Those with fair skin, light eyes and blond or red hair are more likely to develop skin cancer than those with darker skin;
• Family history. One in 10 people diagnosed with melanoma has a family member who has been diagnosed; and
• Burns. People who have chemical, radial, electrical or incendiary burns are more likely to be diagnosed later in life.
Prevention Is the Key
Anyone, regardless of color or family history, can develop skin cancer. Mallette encourages his patients to take the following preventative measures:
• Use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more each day
• On days of increased sun exposure, make sure that the l & rsquo; Sunscreen is waterproof and sweat resistant; ] • Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for reapplication;
Melanoma
Melanoma, consisting of abnormal cutaneous pigment cells called melanocytes, is the most serious form. skin cancer and causes 75% of all skin cancer deaths. Untreated, it can spread to other organs and is difficult to control.
This is what happened to Steven Croomes, a lawyer from Athens who died in the spring of 2015 after melanoma patches on his nose and temple spread to his brain, liver and lungs. lungs.
Her niece, Rebecca Croomes, said that her melanoma was removed in 2010.
"We thought everything was fine. The doctors thought that they had everything, so they did not have any radiation or chemo, "said Croomes.
In the winter of 2014, Croomes said that she began to notice that his uncle "would act unusually" or "space outside"
Later that year, he lost balance and nearly fell from the tank he was standing on during a Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans.
"He went home and had some things checked," says Croomes. "They found some spots on his lungs, but they did not come back with anything specific."
About nine months later, Croomes said that he was really sick, but she and the rest of the family thought that he had the flu. More tests, however, revealed that the spots on his lung were melanomas that had spread.
"When he went home, we had the impression that it was that," said Croomes. "He did a treatment at the Cancer Center in Huntsville, but it did not do much."
Steven Croomes, an active NAACP member from Limestone County and president of the Madison Rotary Club, pbaded away May 11, 2015 He is 59 years old.
Croomes says that his uncle's fight against melanoma has put his family in a state of alert.
"My father regularly sees a dermatologist now," she said. "If anything seems suspicious, my mother is everywhere to see the doctor."
She is also taking better care of her skin, making sure to wear sunscreen even during the winter months.
The most common sign of skin cancer is a change on the skin, usually in the form of a new cutaneous or skin lesion or an existing mole change.
MedlinePlus, a website for the National Institute of Health ABCDE "as a way to remember what to look for, especially with melanoma." The acronym breaks down as follows :
• Asymmetry – one half does not fit the other
• Border – edges are irregular, fuzzy or irregular;
• Color – Uneven color that may include shades of black, brown, black-blue or tan;
• Diameter – there is a change in size, usually an increase, and
• Evolution – the mole has changed in recent weeks or months.
"Si you see a mole, whether it is new or old and that it has changed shape, size or color, you should examine it by a dermatologist or your family doctor, "said Briefcase. "If you have a lot of moles and you do not look like others, it's worth it. To be verified too. "
According to Mallette, 60 percent of melanomas come from existing moles.
Mallette Dermatology currently accepts patients and accepts most insurance. For more information, call 256-771-1995.
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