Your Risk For Skin Cancer

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

April 29, 1999 / 10:26 AM EDT / CBS

The good news is that cancer rates overall are dropping. The bad news is, one form of cancer that is on the rise is melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. CBS This Morning Health Contributor Dr. Bernadine Healy reports on who's at risk and how to protect yourself and your family.

The bottom line in skin cancer, says Healy, "is our relationship to the sun." She explains, "The important thing that we have learned relatively recently is that the intense intermittent exposure to the sun, the kind that causes blistering sunburns, is the kind that is most damaging with regard to your risk of melanoma. And that means people who are pale-faced who go off on vacations in the winter or the weekends and get the sudden exposures are most at risk."

The milder, benign forms of skin cancer - squamous cell and basal cell cancer - result from cumulative exposure to the sun over a lifetime. Surprisingly, Healy says, "We realize that people who use a lot of sunscreens have more melanoma. That sounds paradoxical but it probably is related to the fact that people get too lazy when they have sunscreen. They think they're protected, and they're not."

Healy notes that some scientists believe there is a link between rising cancer levels and environmental damage to the Earth's ozone layer, which has depleted the protection between us and the sun's damaging rays.

The Risk Factors

Dr. Bernadine Healy

Fair skin. People with blond or red hair who tend to get freckles are most vulnerable. African-Americans have only one-tenth the melanoma risk of Caucasians because their skin has more melanin, a pigment that acts as a sunscreen.
Genes. If others in your family have had skin cancer, your risk is greater.
Past sunburns. People who have had five or more sunburns, particularly when young, have twice the risk of developing melanoma later in life.

Healy says self-examination is important in spotting skin cancer. "A third of melanomas occur in already-existing moles. About two-thirds of them appear spontaneously." There are warning signs that a mole may be cancerous. People who have moles should monitor them for changes, and see a doctor if they notice these signs.

Things To Look For

A is for Asymmetry in a mole's shape.
B is for Border irregularity. A harmless mole generally has a smooth rim.
C is for Color. A harmless mole generally is a uniform color. Black, brown or white patches can be trouble signs.
D is the Diameter. If the mole is bigger than about the size of a pencil eraser, it could be a problem.

There may be other symptoms. Healy ponts out that "An important thing with regard to these moles is that they are itchy. They may bleed. And they often change in size. So if you notice a mole start to increase in size, see your doctor."

How To Protect Yourself

Avoid the sun, particularly between the hours of 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. when it is strongest.
Wear protective clothing.
Use sunscreen, and make sure it is a broad spectrum sunscreen that protects against the entire range of dangerous rays.