Skin cancer rate for women increases

By Rachel Young, Northwest Guardian

The rate of skin cancer among younger women increased more than 50 percent in the last three decades, according to an analysis in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology last month.

The analysis showed that while the number of cases of melanoma in younger women jumped more than 50 percent between 1973 and 2004, the number of cases seen in younger men has remained fairly steady over the 31-year period.

The number of cases of invasive cutaneous melanoma among women between the ages of 15 to 39 rose from 5.5 cases per 100,000 people in 1973 to 13.9 cases per 100,000 people in 2004, according to the JID article. For men in the same age range, the number of cases only increased by 3 per 100,000 over the same period of time.

According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma is caused by ultraviolet radiation in two ways. First, a lot of sun exposure and sun burns as a child and teen can cause the skin cells to change, which may later result in melanoma, which generally accounts for those found on areas of the body that are not as frequently exposed to the sun in adulthood, like the legs and trunk. The second way is through frequent sun exposure on areas of the body that are often uncovered, like the arms neck and face. Tanning beds may be linked with this type of melanoma.

However, there a number of ways to protect skin from UV damage.

“First of all, we recommend against going to tanning booths,” said Maj. Naomi Creel, a dermatologist at Madigan Army Medical Center. “There are studies that show definitely that an increased number of sunburns can lead to melanoma, there are some studies that definitely show that tanning or exposure to the sun is one of the risk factors for melanoma.”

Tanning beds deliver more UV rays to the skin than the sun does, Creel said. They also cause other skin problems like squamous and basil cell cancers, as well as aging the skin and causing wrinkles.

“Other things that women can do to prevent melanoma is practice good sun protection, wearing sunscreen when they are going to be outdoors,” Creel said.

When selecting sunscreen, it is best to choose one with a Sun Protection Factor of no less than 30 and that protects against UVA and UVB rays, Creel said. A shot-glass full should cover the entire body, and it is important to reapply the sunscreen every couple of hours. Another way to protect skin is to stay out of the sun when it is at its strongest, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Creel said.

Women should also use a daily moisturizer with a SPF of 15, to protect skin during everyday sun exposure, while driving or walking to and from the car, she said.

A melanoma can look like a number of things, Creel said, so men and women alike should take a few minutes to check their skin every month.

“A melanoma can be a new mole that appears on the body, or a mole that you have that is changing or growing,” she said. “I liken it to how women have to do self breast exams monthly, you should do a self skin exam monthly and just get to know what moles you have so you could recognize if one was growing, changing,” she said.

Skin cancer can also be related to genetics too. People who have a direct family member who has had a melanoma should tell their primary care provider, who may suggest yearly skin screenings, Creel said.

And for those who cannot live without that healthy summer glow, Creel suggests sunless tanning instead.

“It’s totally safe,” Creel said. “It’s not going to protect you from skin cancers or sunburn or anything like that, but if people just want to have a little golden glow to their skin, then that’s exactly what we recommend.”