Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 17, 1994 TAG: 9405170088
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By SALLY SQUIRES THE WASHINGTON POST
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Now, as millions of Americans are preparing for the summer months and their greatest sun exposure, scientists believe they have a better handle on the statistics. A study released last week by Boston University researchers estimated 1 million Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer this year.
The researchers estimated that as many as one in three Caucasian Americans will develop basal-cell skin cancer (the kind that afflicted former President Reagan) if they live to be 75 years old. They also found that one in 11 will develop squamous-cell skin cancer at some point in their lives.
The study, coauthored by Martin Weinstock, director of Brown University's Dermatoepidemiology Unit and chief of dermatology at the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Rhode Island, and Dena Miller, appears in this month's Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Skin cancer is the general term used to describe an array of skin malignancies. Basal- and squamous-cell skin cancers account for nearly all cases of skin cancer. Neither type grows very fast or spreads rapidly. Both are easily detected and treated. Very rarely is either type life-threatening. Another kind of skin cancer is malignant melanoma, the least common and potentially most dangerous of all skin cancer.
Because at least 90 percent of skin cancer is closely linked to sun exposure, dermatologists and public-health officials said the new findings underscore the importance of being sun-smart. Most important is to limit exposure from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., when rays are strongest.
``We're not saying be a vampire and only come out at night,'' said New York University dermatologist Darrell Rigel. ``If you work outdoors, wear a hat with a wide brim, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, if you can. Use a sunscreen with an SPF (sun-protection factor) of 15 or higher and put it on at least 15 minutes before going into the sun.''
The specialists stressed that preventive measures for children, particularly Caucasian youngsters, are important to stop the increase in the disease. While black Americans and other people with darker complexions have more natural protection against skin cancer, anyone can develop the disease.
``Unfortunately, although trends may change, we see no evidence that the skin-cancer epidemic has peaked,'' Weinstock said.
The findings are based on data collected at eight National Cancer Institute survey locations in the United States. Also included in the calculations are data from the Kaiser-Permanente Health Maintenance organization of Portland, Ore., where a skin-cancer registry began in 1960, and from British Columbia, which has recorded all skin-cancer data from its population since 1971.
``But the good news is that with education, early detection and prevention, we should in theory be able to eliminate a lot of this, if not all of it,'' said Howard Koh, director of cancer prevention and control at Boston University Medical Center and chairman of the skin-cancer-screening task force for the American Academy of Dermatology.
A 1994 national survey conducted for the academy found that 59 percent of Americans consider a tan a sign of health and think it generally enhances appearances. Yet a golden glow from the sun is really a sign of skin damage that can never be repaired. Sunburns produce even more damage as they sear the top skin layers.
The vast majority of lifetime sun exposure occurs before age 18, which is why the Academy of Dermatology and the Skin Cancer Foundation urge parents to protect their children from infancy. (Sunscreens are not recommended, however, for babies less than 6 months of age because of possible skin irritation.)
Instilling safe sun habits early - especially regular use of sunscreen, seeking shade during peak hours and wearing protective clothing - often establishes safe habits for a lifetime.
by CNB