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"Prevention
of skin cancer" is redistributed by University of Bonn,
Medical Center
Prevention of skin cancer
CancerMail from the National Cancer Institute
OVERVIEW OF PREVENTION
Prevention
Doctors can not always explain why one person gets cancer
and another does not. However, scientists have studied general
patterns of cancer in the population to learn what things
around us and what things we do in our lives may increase
our chance of developing cancer.
Anything that increases a person's chance of developing
a disease is called a risk factor; anything that decreases
a person's chance of developing a disease is called a protective
factor. Some of the risk factors for cancer can be avoided,
but many can not. For example, although you can choose to
quit smoking, you can not choose which genes you have inherited
from your parents. Both smoking and inheriting specific
genes could be considered risk factors for certain kinds
of cancer, but only smoking can be avoided. Prevention means
avoiding the risk factors and increasing the protective
factors that can be controlled so that the chance of developing
cancer decreases.
Although many risk factors can be avoided, it is important
to keep in mind that avoiding risk factors does not guarantee
that you will not get cancer. Also, most people with a particular
risk factor for cancer do not actually get the disease.
Some people are more sensitive than others to factors that
can cause cancer. Talk to your doctor about methods of preventing
cancer that might be effective for you.
Purposes of this summary
The purposes of this summary on skin cancer prevention are
to:
• give information on skin cancer and how often it occurs
• describe skin cancer prevention methods
• give current facts about which people or groups of people
would most likely be helped by following skin cancer prevention
methods
You can talk to your doctor or health care professional
about cancer prevention methods and whether they would be
likely to help you.
SKIN CANCER
The skin protects the body against heat and light, injury,
and infection. It also helps regulate body temperature,
stores water and fat, and produces vitamin D. The skin is
the body's largest organ and is made up of two main layers:
the outer epidermis and the inner dermis.
There are 3 types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma,
squamous cell carcinoma (together referred to as nonmelanoma
skin cancer), and melanoma. The outer layer of the skin
is made up of squamous cells. Basal cells are found below
the squamous cells. Melanocytes are in the deepest layer
of epidermis. Melanoma develops from melanocytes.
Significance of skin cancer
Skin cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in the
United States. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma
(nonmelanoma skin cancer) are the most common forms of skin
cancer. The number of new cases of skin cancer appears to
be increasing each year. The number of deaths due to skin
cancer, however, is fairly small.
Skin cancer prevention
Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer (Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous
Cell Carcinoma)
Studies have suggested that reducing exposure to ultraviolet
(UV) radiation decreases the incidence of nonmelanoma skin
cancer. Ultraviolet radiation is a stream of invisible high-energy
rays coming from the sun. Artificial sources such as tanning
booths and sunlamps also produce ultraviolet radiation.
Sun exposure can be reduced by changing patterns of outdoor
activities to reduce time of exposure to high-intensity
UV radiation (the sun is strongest from 11 am to 3 pm),
wearing protective clothing (such as long sleeves and hats)
when exposed to sunlight, and by using adequate amounts
of sufficiently protective sunscreen.
Whether sunscreens are effective in protecting against nonmelanoma
skin cancer has not been determined.
People whose skin tans poorly or burns easily after sun
exposure are particularly susceptible to nonmelanoma skin
cancer. These people in particular may benefit by following
prevention methods for nonmelanoma skin cancer.
Melanoma
Studies have suggested that avoiding sunburns, especially
in childhood and adolescence, may reduce the incidence of
melanoma skin cancer.
Sunburn can be avoided by changing patterns of outdoor activities
to reduce time of exposure to high-intensity UV radiation
(the sun is strongest from 11 am to 3 pm), wearing protective
clothing (such as long sleeves and hats) when exposed to
sunlight, and using sunscreen.
Sunscreen is not a substitute for avoidance of sun exposure.
People whose skin tans poorly or who have a large number
of abnormal moles may have an increased risk of developing
melanoma skin cancer. These people in particular may benefit
by following prevention methods for melanoma.
TO LEARN MORE
Call
For more information, U.S. residents may call the National
Cancer Institute's (NCI's) Cancer Information Service toll-free
at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) Monday through Friday
from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Deaf and hard-of-hearing callers
with TTY equipment may call 1-800-332-8615. The call is
free and a trained Cancer Information Specialist is available
to answer your questions.
Web sites and Organizations
The NCI's Cancer.gov Web site (Http: //cancer.gov) provides
online access to information on cancer, clinical trials,
and other Web sites and organizations that offer support
and resources for cancer patients and their families. There
are also many other places where people can get materials
and information about cancer treatment and services. Local
hospitals may have information on local and regional agencies
that offer information about finances, getting to and from
treatment, receiving care at home, and dealing with problems
associated with cancer treatment.
Publications
The NCI has booklets and other materials for patients, health
professionals, and the public. These publications discuss
types of cancer, methods of cancer treatment, coping with
cancer, and clinical trials. Some publications provide information
on tests for cancer, cancer causes and prevention, cancer
statistics, and NCI research activities. NCI materials on
these and other topics may be ordered online or printed
directly from the NCI Publications Locator (https://cissecure.nci.nih.gov/ncipubs).
These materials can also be ordered by telephone from the
Cancer Information Service toll-free at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237),
TTY at 1-800-332-8615.
LiveHelp
The NCI's LiveHelp service, a program available on several
of the Institute's Web sites, provides Internet users with
the ability to chat online with an Information Specialist.
The service is available from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern
time, Monday through Friday. Information Specialists can
help Internet users find information on NCI Web sites and
answer questions about cancer.
Write
For more information from the NCI, please write to this
address:
National Cancer Institute
Office of Communications
31 Center Drive, MSC 2580
Bethesda, MD 20892-2580
ABOUT PDQ
PDQ is a comprehensive cancer database available on Cancer.gov.
PDQ is the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) comprehensive
cancer information database. Most of the information contained
in PDQ is available online at Cancer.gov (Http: //cancer.gov),
the NCI's Web site. PDQ is provided as a service of the
NCI. The NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health,
the federal government's focal point for biomedical research.
PDQ contains cancer information summaries.
The PDQ database contains summaries of the latest published
information on cancer prevention, detection, genetics, treatment,
supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine.
Most summaries are available in two versions. The health
professional versions provide detailed information written
in technical language. The patient versions are written
in easy-to-understand, non-technical language. Both versions
provide current and accurate cancer information.
The PDQ cancer information summaries are developed by cancer
experts and reviewed regularly.
Editorial Boards made up of experts in oncology and related
specialties are responsible for writing and maintaining
the cancer information summaries. The summaries are reviewed
regularly and changes are made as new information becomes
available. The date on each summary ("Date Last Modified")
indicates the time of the most recent change.
PDQ also contains information on clinical trials.
People who are at high risk for a certain type of cancer
may want to take part in a clinical trial. A clinical trial
is a study to answer a scientific question, such as whether
a certain drug or nutrient can prevent cancer. Trials are
based on past studies and what has been learned in the laboratory.
Each trial answers certain scientific questions in order
to find new and better ways to help cancer patients and
those who are at risk for cancer. During prevention clinical
trials, information is collected about prevention methods,
the risks involved, and how well they do or do not work.
If a clinical trial shows that a new method is better than
one currently being used, the new method may become "standard."
Listings of clinical trials are included in PDQ and are
available online at Cancer.gov (Http: //cancer.gov/clinical_trials).
Descriptions of the trials are available in health professional
and patient versions. Many cancer doctors who take part
in clinical trials are also listed in PDQ. For more information,
call the Cancer Information Service 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237);
TTY at 1-800-332-8615.
Date Last Modified: 10/2002
http://www.meb.uni-bonn.de/cancernet/504733.html
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