| Incidence | | | | indoor tanning beds and lamps. To prevent |
| While the incidence of other cancer such as | | | | yourself from getting melanoma, make sure you |
| prostate cancer has leveled off, the incidence of | | | | have put on sunscreen before going under the |
| melanoma in US is on the rise, according a | | | | sun. Also, avoid using the tanning beds, which is |
| presentation at the 68th Annual Meeting of the | | | | known to increase your risk of melanoma and |
| American Academy of Dermatology. | | | | serious eye problems. |
| In his presentation at Annual Meeting of the | | | | Detection |
| American Academy of Dermatology, Dr. Rigel | | | | Monitor your mole regularly. Make sure you mole |
| pointed out that the average American's risk of | | | | does not have any of the following characteristics. |
| developing melanoma in his or her lifetime | | | | - Asymmetry: one half unlike the other half. |
| increased from one in 1,500 in 1930, to one in 250 | | | | - Border: irregular, scalloped or poorly defined. |
| in 1980 and one in 74 in 2000. By 2004, the risk | | | | - Color: varies from one area to another; shades |
| of getting this deadly skin cancer increased to one | | | | of tan and brown, black; sometimes white, red or |
| in 65 and by today, the risk is 58. | | | | blue. |
| If this rate continues, he predicted the risk will be | | | | - Diameter: the size of a pencil eraser or larger. |
| one in 50 by 2015! | | | | - Evolving: changing in size, shape or color. |
| He did not believe the risk in melanoma is due to | | | | If you see a mole with any of the above |
| increase in the number of skin cancer | | | | characteristics, you should see a dermatologist |
| screenings. If that was true, we should see a | | | | immediately. Also, mole that grows bleeds, |
| sudden rise in melanoma cases and then leveled | | | | crusts, or changes also required immediately |
| off. | | | | doctor's attention. |
| Prevention | | | | Presentation at the 68th Annual Meeting of the |
| Melanoma is caused by too much exposure to | | | | American Academy of Dermatology. |
| ultraviolet (UV) radiation, whether from the sun or | | | | Please visit us at healthreason. |