May 14,2001 WEST PALM BEACH (Cox News Service - If you don't know your ABCD's, it's time to learn.
May is Melanoma Awareness Month, and knowing the ABCD's of skin cancer may save your life.
Every hour, someone dies from melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. And many of these victims missed the early signs of melanoma, the ABCD's that characterize suspicious moles, says Dr. Jeffrey Lee, medical director of the melanoma and skin cancer department at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
"Melanoma has a reputation for being sneaky disease," Lee warns. The good news is that even though rates of melanoma are increasing, the percentage of advanced cases of melanoma is decreasing, and the majority of melanomas are still cured. The best news is that melanoma can be prevented by limiting your exposure to the sun's rays.
This year, more than 30,000 Palm Beach County high school students learned sun safety in their biology classes. Because most of the damage to the skin that predisposes someone to skin cancer happens before age 20, early education is the key to preventing melanoma. The county is the only school district in the United States that offers such a program, and this is the first year that skin cancer has been part of the high school curriculum, thanks to the efforts of a local charitable foundation.
The Richard David Kann Melanoma Foundation was started in 1995 by Deborah Kann Schwarzberg in memory of her brother, who died of melanoma at age 44. Since then, Schwarzberg's crusade has been to get sun safety taught to schoolchildren.
"The foundation from its inception was very focused on prevention and early detection," Schwarzberg said. "Our goal is to create a way to get out information to kids from school age through high school that would bring about behavioral change."
Schwarzberg wants sun safety taught to every student in every grade. But high schools were a first step. "We picked biology as the first department because (sun safety) could be implemented as part of the existing course work. It lent itself to biology. Instead of just teaching cell division, we taught cell division as it applies to skin cancer."
The 12-part program, called SunSmart America, is based upon an Australian curriculum that the foundation acquired and then modified with the help of Grace Colby, a school district curriculum writer, and Jill Wood, a teacher in Lake Worth High School's medical magnet program.
To entice teachers to teach sun safety this year, the foundation sponsored a poster and essay contest for students in all grades. The winners received cash prizes, as did the teacher who sponsored them and the school itself. The winners were chosen from more than 1,000 entries, and the awards were presented by West Palm Beach Mayor Joel Daves.
The students weren't the only ones bringing home awards. The foundation received its second Golden Triangle award from the American Academy of Dermatology for the "best skin-related education program in North America" for the SunSmart America curriculum. The award was presented last month in New York.
Meanwhile, Lee is optimistic about the future: "Mortality rates are going down, so we're already doing much better," he says. "The message is getting out that melanoma when identified early is almost always curable."
Also promising are new treatments based upon gene research and even a vaccine. "It's still in the early stage. I am hopeful that within our lifetime we'll have a vaccine," Lee says.
The foundation is looking for families to join in the fight against the disease. If you want to help, or need more information, visit www.melanomafoundation.com.
THE ABCD's OF SKIN CANCER Learn your ABCD's. Examine spots on your skin for these characteristics. See a dermatologist if any are true for you.
Asymmetry: One half of a mole does not match the other half. Border irregularity: The edges of a mole are ragged or notched. Color: The color over a mole is not the same. There may be differing shades of tan, brown or black, and sometimes patches of red, blue or white. Diameter: A mole is wider than 6 millimeters (about one-fourth inch). Use a mirror and a hand mirror to examine all of your skin. Or find a partner and examine each other.
Have a skin check annually by your health-care provider. The American Cancer Society recommends people between 20 and 40 have their skin examined every three years, and anyone 40 and older should have an exam every year. Florida is a direct-access state. That means you can visit a dermatologist without getting a referral from your primary physician.
RATES Rates of melanoma are increasing faster than any other cancer. About 7,800 people in the U.S. are expected to die of melanoma this year. Another 2,000 will die of basal cell or squamous cell cancers.
An American's lifetime risk of developing melanoma is about one in 75.
WHO'S AT RISK? Exposure to the sun increases the risk of skin cancer for everyone, but people with the following characteristics have the highest risk for melanoma:
Fair complexions that burn or blister easily. Blond or red hair. Blue, green or gray eyes. Excessive sun exposure during childhood and teen years. Blistering and sunburns before age 20.
Family history of melanoma. More than 100 moles, or more than 50 moles if you are under age 20.
PREVENTION TIPS Frequently apply sunblock with a minimum SPF of 15 to all exposed skin and reapply every few hours - more often if you are sweating or swimming.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. Stay out of the sun during the peak hours of 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and seek out shaded areas when possible.
If you must be out during peak hours, cover your skin with sun-protective clothing.
Copyright 2001 Cox News Service. All rights reserved.
