DERMATOLOGY
Melanoma
The Sunshine State. Silent Killer
Sun worshipping tourists
flock here to soak up those
famous bountiful rays at our
award-winning beaches…and
perhaps to return home with
the enviable traces of a tan.
But here in the land of the sun, we
Florida residents know better, right?
We know the dangers of exposure to
too many ultraviolet rays. After all,
skin cancer is the most common type
of cancer in the world…and melanoma,
the most dangerous type, kills
nearly 10,000 Americans annually.
The good news is that if melanoma is
found and treated early, it is usually
curable. Undetected, it can spread to
other parts of the body and become
harder to treat. Self and professional
checks are a key factor in minimizing
its danger.
WHAT IS MELANOMA?
Too much ultraviolet radiation from
the sun—and, yes, let’s not forget
tanning beds—can damage skin cells.
This may trigger mutations that form
malignant tumors in the basal layer
of the epidermis, where cells called
melanocytes form the pigments that
make up our skin color. Melanoma
is more common among people with
fair skin and is rare in people with
darker skin.
Melanomas often look like moles
and sometimes develop from existing
moles. Although they can develop anywhere,
melanomas are more commonly
found in certain areas of the body.
For men, they most often occur on the
chest and back, while legs are more
frequently affected among women.
WHO IS AT RISK?
Everyone is at risk for melanoma and
should be watchful for warning signs,
but some are more vulnerable than
others. Those with fair skin, a high
number of moles, lots of freckles (or
the tendency to notice them after
being in the sun), red or light-colored
hair, or a family history of skin cancer
are more at risk for melanoma and
skin cancer in general.
LINKS: www.skincancer.org | www.cancer.org/cancer/skin-cancer
14 COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE DIGEST • OCT–DEC 2018 | WWW.CHDIGEST.COM
/www.skincancer.org
/skin-cancer
/WWW.CHDIGEST.COM