Did you know that each year in the United States there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined new cases of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers? If not, you are not alone. Despite how common skin cancer is, many people are unaware of what to look for and what the significance is of finding something suspicious. Given that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime, it is a good idea to know some of the basic facts.

There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Of these, basal cell carcinoma is by far the most common and least dangerous. It typically appears as a skin colored or pink bump or patch on the skin which doesn’t go away. Over time it will often start to scab and bleed and will not heal properly. Squamous cell carcinoma has a higher risk of spreading in the body than basal cell carcinoma and is fortunately less common. It is also usually pink or skin colored but tends to be more rough and wart-like. Caught early both of these skin cancers can be fairly easily treated.

Melanoma is the rarest of the three and by far the most dangerous given its ability to spread throughout the body. In 2016 there will be approximately 76,380 new cases of invasive melanoma diagnosed in the United States and over 10,000 people will die of melanoma . Not just older people are affected by this cancer. In fact, melanoma is the most common cancer diagnosed in young adults aged 25-29 years old. There are a number of risk factors for who might develop melanoma. Having one or more first degree relatives with a history of melanoma increases your risk as does a history of sun burns (your risk of melanoma doubles if you have had more than five) or a history of tanning bed use (people who have used tanning beds 10 or more times in their lifetime have a 34 percent increased risk of developing melanoma). Most melanomas are brown or black and break one or more of the “ABCDE” rules: Asymmetric, irregular Borders, multiple Colors, Diameter greater than 6mm, Evolving. For more information visit http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/melanoma/melanoma-warning-signs-and-images/do-you-know-your-abcdes When detected early, melanoma can have a very high cure rate as well – but early detection is key.

At Portland Dermatology Clinic we recommend avoiding exposure to ultraviolet rays, whether coming from the sun or from tanning beds, to lower ones risk of developing any of these skin cancers. In addition, we encourage everyone to come in for a baseline full skin exam which is a visual inspection of your skin by one of our board certified dermatologists. People are generally surprised to learn that a full skin exam to screen for skin cancers typically takes just 5-10 minutes. At the first visit, your dermatologist can suggest what interval makes sense for future skin exams, based on evidence of sun damage, number of moles, history of burns and family history of skin cancer. We also recommend that you make a habit of checking your own skin once a month so that you can detect any suspicious changes early.