Sun Aware

Everyone fears cancer. And, for a cancer that is largely preventable, the numbers are disturbing. Just ten years ago, in 1994, there were 58,500 new cases of common skin cancers in Canada. This year that figure is expected to be close to 76,000, a whopping 30 per cent increase in just one decade.

"The number of people diagnosed with skin cancer this year will be enough to fill four ice hockey arenas," says Dr. Joel Claveau, national director of the Canadian Dermatology Association's National Sun Awareness Program. "The reason we are seeing the number of new cases jump is that people are outdoors unprotected a lot whether they are involved in their usual activities, sports activities or at the beach. Year after year, this results in excessive sun exposure."

 

Excessive sun exposure is the primary cause of malignant melanoma, the least common but deadliest form of skin cancer. Having a fair or freckled complexion, lots of moles and a family history of melanoma increase the risk even further. Since 1988, there has been a 41 per cent increase in the death rate for melanoma in men · that's the highest rate of increase of all cancers," says Dr. Claveau. "The death rate in women has climbed 23 per cent over the same period."  This year more than 800 Canadians will die of skin cancer.

 

The good news is that this cancer is curable in most cases. "About 90 per cent of melanoma can be cured if caught early," says Claveau.

Early detection means checking your skin for changes in moles or other coloured spots. The Canadian Dermatologists Association calls it the ABCD's of melanoma:

 

Asymmetry · one half of the mole is unlike the other half

Border · irregular, scalloped or poorly circumscribed border

Colour · varied from one area to another, shades of tan and brown; black, sometimes white, red or blue

Diameter · larger than 6mm as a rule (diameter of a pencil eraser).

 

"One of the most common places melanoma occurs is on the back · an area people cannot check themselves," says Dr. Claveau. "This allows the melanoma to develop undetected to a deadly stage. As a result, being checked for skin cancer is vital."

 

It is possible to enjoy healthy outdoor activities while in the sun. But you need to take precautions. The Canadian Dermatology Association and the Canadian Cancer Society recommend that you:

 

  1. Reduce sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The sun's rays are at their strongest between these hours. It's easy to remember - during these hours your shadow is shorter than you are. If you can, plan your outdoor activities before 11 a.m. or after 4 p.m.
  2. Seek shade or create your own shade. When you are outside - especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. - try to stay in the shade. Be prepared for places without any shade by taking along an umbrella. With an umbrella you can create shade wherever you need it.
  3. SLIP! on clothing to cover your arms and legs. Covering your skin will protect it from the sun. Choose clothing that is: loose fitting; tightly woven; and lightweight.
  4. SLAP! on a wide-brimmed hat. Most skin cancers occur on the face and neck. This area needs extra protection. Wear a hat with a wide brim that covers your head, face, ears and neck. Hats without a wide brim, like baseball caps, do not give you enough protection.
  5. SLOP! on a sunscreen with SPF (Sun Protection Factor) #15 or higher - SPF 30 if you work outdoors or if you will be outside for most of the day. Look for "broad spectrum" on the label. This means that the sunscreen offers protection against 2 types of ultraviolet rays, UVA and UVB. Apply sunscreen generously, 20 minutes before outdoor activities. Reapply often - at least every 2 hours (and after swimming or exercise that makes you perspire). No sunscreen can absorb all of the sun's rays. Use sunscreen along with shade, clothing and hats - not instead of them. Use sunscreen as a backup in your sun protection plan.
  6. Keep babies under one year out of the direct sun. Babies need extra protection because their skin is very sensitive. Keep your child's stroller, playpen or carriage in the shade.
  7. Tanning parlours and sunlamps are not a safe way to tan. Tanning salons do not give you a "safe tan without burning". No tan is a safe tan. A tan is evidence of sun damage. Just like the sun, tanning lights and sun lamps emit ultraviolet rays that can cause sunburn, aging skin and increase your risk of skin cancer. The strength of the ultraviolet rays (especially the UV-A type) may actually be higher in tanning beds than in sunlight.

If it is so easily preventable, you may wonder why the numbers are rising.  Well, it seems that despite all the warnings about the sun's damaging rays, many teenagers and young adults are still spending too much time in the sun, setting themselves up for a lifelong battle with cancer.  "If you've had one skin cancer, you're 50 percent more likely to have another one within 5 years than somebody whose never had one," says dermatologist Dr. Sue Ellen Cox.

 

There is generally a lag time of 10 to 30 years for the clinical appearance of skin cancer to occur. So, if you're young don't think you are immune. You need to take into consideration the cumulative factor of unprotected sun exposure - the more time they spend unprotected in the sun, the higher their risk for developing skin cancer down the road. Dermatologists say practicing safe sun precautions needs to become as essential to youth as practicing safe sex and responsible drinking · to ensure future health.