World Melanoma Day* is held on the second Monday of May. The aim is to raise awareness about the growing prevalence of melanoma and the importance of sun safety and skin cancer prevention during the warm spring and summer months.
The incidence rates for melanoma have risen by about 2% each year for Canadians over the past two decades,* reports the Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA). While melanoma is less common than other types of skin cancer—such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma—it is the most serious form of skin cancer,* says the Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation.
Fortunately, melanoma is one of the most preventable cancers,* according to the Canadian Cancer Society. Also, unlike many cancers, melanoma is clearly visible* on the outer surface of the skin. When detected at an early stage, it has one of the highest cure rates of all cancers, at over 90%,* says CDA.
Enjoy sun safely and spots signs early
Here are some tips to help you prevent melanoma, or detect possible signs early:
- Seek shade at peak times
- Cover up
- Protect your eyes
- Use broad-spectrum sunscreen
- Never use tanning beds
- Examine your skin regularly
- Check out skin changes
Sit under a tree, partial roof or an awning, or bring an umbrella, to protect your skin between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.,* advises the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS).
Wear light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants, and a wide-brimmed hat made from breathable fabric,* says Health Canada.
Wear close-fitting, wraparound sunglasses with full UVA/UVB protection,* says CCS.
Apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 generously and regularly,* advises Mayo Clinic.
People who spent over 50 hours using tanning beds were three times more likely to develop melanoma* than people who never tried tanning beds, reports a Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention study.
Check the skin on different areas of your body for suspicious spots or moles monthly,* advises CDA. Melanomas are often dark brown or black, although some show a mixture of colours including blue, grey and red. Also look for changes in colour, size, shape or symptoms, such as itching, tenderness or bleeding. Research shows 70% of melanomas are discovered by patients themselves or family members.*
See a dermatologist, or your family doctor, as soon as possible if you identify a suspicious spot or mole. In the early stages, a melanoma that hasn’t spread to lymph nodes is curable by surgical removal,* says CDA.
*The following sources provided references for this blog, in order of appearance:
1. Canadian Dermatology Association. “World Melanoma Day 2019.” (2019), online: https://saveyourskin.ca/event/world-melanoma-day-2019/
2. Canadian Dermatology Association. “Melanoma.” (2019), online: https://dermatology.ca/public-patients/skin/melanoma/
3. Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation. “Skin Cancer.” Online: https://www.canadianskincancerfoundation.com/home/skin-cancer/
4. Canadian Cancer Society. “Society releases updated sun safety recommendations.” (2016), online: http://www.cancer.ca/en/about-us/for-media/media-releases/national/2016/sun-safety-recommendations/?region=bc
5. Canadian Dermatology Association. “Melanoma.” (2019), online: https://dermatology.ca/public-patients/skin/melanoma/
6. Canadian Dermatology Association. “Melanoma.”(2019), online: https://dermatology.ca/public-patients/skin/melanoma/ https://dermatology.ca/public-patients/skin/melanoma/
7. Canadian Cancer Society. “Society releases updated sun safety recommendations.” (2016), online: http://www.cancer.ca/en/about-us/for-media/media-releases/national/2016/sun-safety-recommendations/?region=bc
8. Health Canada. “Skin Cancer.” (2018), online:https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/sun-safety/skin-cancer.html
9. Canadian Cancer Society. “Society releases updated sun safety recommendations.” (2016), online: http://www.cancer.ca/en/about-us/for-media/media-releases/national/2016/sun-safety-recommendations/?region=bc
10. Mayo Clinic. “Best sunscreen: Understand sunscreen options.” (2018), online: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/best-sunscreen/art-20045110
11. Lynne Peeples. “Study: frequent tanning-bed use triples melanoma risk.” (2016), https://www.health.com/skin-cancer/tanning-melanoma
12. Canadian Dermatology Association. “Melanoma.” (2019), online: https://dermatology.ca/public-patients/skin/melanoma/
13. Canadian Dermatology Association. “Melanoma.” (2019), online: https://dermatology.ca/public-patients/skin/melanoma/
14. Canadian Dermatology Association. “Melanoma.” (2019), online: https://dermatology.ca/public-patients/skin/melanoma/