14 May 2017
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Skin Cancer Detection And Prevention Month Makes A Difference
By Barb Armijo
Technology and medical advances over the years have improved the chances of curing melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer. And thanks to an increasingly aggressive awareness campaign, more people are getting diagnosed earlier, when the disease is treatable and curable.
In fact, May is national Skin Cancer Awareness month- a good time to take preventive measures, such as checking for moles, other unusual bumps and skin discoloration, or make an appointment with a dermatologist for a check-up.
According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer. UV radiation can also come from tanning booths or sunlamps.
Skin cancer can almost always be cured when it’ s found and
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treated early, said Dr. Susan Guo, of the New Mexico Cancer Center. Dr. Guo and her colleagues at the Cancer Center are now offering a non-surgical option for skin cancer treatments.
“ Certainly, treating a patient less invasively is a goal,” she said.“ Using the latest technology it is now safer to treat skin cancer by delivering a precise, calibrated dose of radiation that only goes skin deep.”
Dr. Guo says that once skin cancer is detected, and it’ s in an early enough stage, patients can be safely treated in an office setting. The New Mexico Cancer Center is using the SRT-100 Vision ™ to deliver the superficial non-surgical radiation therapy.
“ It’ s painless and is a low dosage of radiation, which destroys the basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, as well as the nonmalignant tumor cells that cause keloids,” Guo said.“ It’ s like going to the dentist for x-rays.”
Keloids are chronic, nonmalignant tumors that often form
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following surgery, but may also occur after other skin traumas such as acne, chickenpox, ear piercing, burns and other skin injuries, said Dr. Guo.
Skin Cancer Awareness month can make a difference in pulling together communities, health professionals, and families to prevent skin cancer or detect it early. Here are some strategies from the American Academy of Dermatology for preventing skin cancer and raising awareness:
• Encourage families to adopt good habits together, like wearing sunscreen and limiting their time in the sun.
• Motivate teachers and administrators to teach children about the harm of UV radiation and why it’ s important to protect yourself.
• Identify youth leaders in your community who can talk to their peers about taking steps to prevent skin cancer.
• Partner with a local hospital, state fair or similar organization to host a skin cancer screening event. Albuquerque and Santa Fe are two cities with high elevation and a high UV Index, based on the 2010 U. S. Census Data. Albuquerque is at 5,312-feet in elevation and Santa Fe is at 7,199 feet. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’ s SunSafety information, New Mexico residents are exposed to a high UV Index as a result of its high elevation.
According to the EPA, any number over an 8 on the index is high, and New Mexico’ s UV Index was at 9 in April. As a result, it is recommended that New Mexico residents be careful in the sun, including wearing hats, long sleeve shirts and using sunscreen.
The American Academy of Dermatology has made it easy for people to spread the word on social media as well. It has several sample tweets for people to use on their Twitter accounts. Here are some of them:
May is Melanoma / Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month! Take these steps to protect yourself from # SkinCancer: http:// 1. usa. gov / 1G8qOTW.
Ultraviolet( UV) radiation from the sun is the main cause of # SkinCancer. Learn more: http:// bit. ly / 2mxjLDq.
# DYK? # SkinCancer is the most common type of cancer in the U. S. Learn more: http:// 1. usa. gov / 1AZDGpd.
Is indoor tanning safer than tanning in the sun? The answer is no. Find out why: http:// 1. usa. gov / 1bbBePF
You can protect yourself from # SkinCancer by doing regular skin self-exams. Learn how: http:// 1. usa. gov / 1nZSlRU
Be cool and wear your shades – UV rays can hurt your eyes. Get more tips to keep your eyes healthy: http:// bit. ly / 1zNmQ1e
Skin cancer affects people of all ages, including older adults. Get the facts: http:// 1. usa. gov / jt7vYY
Health Tip: Put sunscreen on 30 minutes before you go outside to help prevent # SkinCancer. For more tips: http:// bit. ly / 1Vc9PJt
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