By Becky Powell MS, RN, AOCN ; Health Educator, Community Cancer Center
I think most people would be surprised to hear that of the 102 Counties in Illinois, McLean County ranked third in the state for melanoma of the skin with an incidence rate of 30.2 per 100,000 cases. By definition, an incidence rate is a measure of the frequency with which a disease occurs in a population over a specified time period. In 2015, the Community Cancer Center reported 106 patients diagnosed with melanoma of the skin making it one of the top five cancer sites identified in our community. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 87,110 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the United States in 2017. The risk of melanoma increases as people age, with the average age at diagnosis being 63. Unfortunately however, melanoma is not uncommon in people younger than 30. In fact, a very alarming statistic is that melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young women 25 to 29 and the second most common form of cancer for young adults 15 to 29.
While the UVA and UVB rays of the sun can cause melanoma other factors that increase risk include the following:
- Blistering sunburns as a child
- Having many moles, especially atypical ones
- Being fair skinned with light hair and eye coloring
- Having a weakened immune system
- Having a family history of melanoma
- Utilizing tanning beds before the age of 35 (causes a 59 percent increased risk for melanoma)
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization’s International Agency of Research on Cancer declared ultraviolet radiation from the sun and tanning beds and sunlamps to be a known “cancer-causing substance.” Despite the known association between indoor tanning and melanoma, the American Academy of Dermatology reports that approximately 7.8 million adult women and 1.9 million adult men in the U. S. tan indoors with nearly 70 percent of tanning salon patrons being Caucasian girls and young men. In 2010, the revenue of the indoor tanning industry was estimated to be a whopping 2.6 billion dollars! Hopefully, these statistics are improving as more states implement tougher laws that prohibit minors under the age of 18 from indoor tanning. The State of Illinois is one of approximately 15 states that have banned indoor tanning for anyone under the age of 18.
So what can people do to lower their risk for melanoma and other forms of skin cancer?
- Avoid indoor tanning beds/lamps.
- Practice sun safety when outdoors by seeking shade, wearing a shirt, hat, and sunglasses.
- Apply sunscreen. Recommendations for sunscreen include one that is broad spectrum (protects from both UVA and UVB rays), has an SPF of 30 or higher, and is water resistant.
- Remember that sunscreens are not waterproof and need to be reapplied.
- Check your skin on a regular basis watching for new growths or changes in the moles you have. Seek medical advice when changes are noted.
The Community Cancer Center offers a free skin cancer screening every year for the people in our community to help identify potential skin cancers. This is typically offered in the month of June. Please check their website at www.cancercenter.org or call 309-451-8500 for more information.