THE DOCTOR IS IN
OP-ED BY DR. ADIL MANZOOR
A lot has happened over the last two years – I really don’t have to state the crystal clear obvious, do I?! However, 2022 seems to be the first year back to a degree of normalcy from the ravaging effects of the coronavirus pandemic. There, I stated the obvious!
Unfortunately, the American Cancer Society and the American Society of Clinical Oncologists, per estimates they compiled, have stated that 3.4 million Americans could be diagnosed with skin cancer in 2022. That’s concerning news, and experts have suggested it could get worse, with melanoma becoming the second most common form of cancer in the United States and the first among men. It’s even scarier when you consider that melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer – but we’ll get there.
Most of the 3.4 million people estimated to be diagnosed with skin cancer his year, 97% precisely, will have basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma. The remaining 3% will develop melanoma. This seems like a good point to introduce skin cancer and its three types.
For starters, skin cancer occurs when skin cells grow abnormally. There are three main types of skin cancers, namely squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Let’s briefly overview them.
Squamous cell carcinoma is the type of skin cancer that affects the outermost part of the epidermis. The cells affected here are known as squamous cells. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, this cancer type is the second most common skin cancer.
Basal cell carcinoma is the most popular of all skin cancers, and by a wealthy margin too. The American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 80% of all skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas. This skin cancer type begins in the basal cells of the skin, which are the cells just beneath the squamous cells that eventually replace dead squamous cells.
Last but most definitely not least is melanoma. This type only accounts for 1% of all skin cancers, but thankfully so because it is the most dangerous of them all. The cells affected here are melanocytes, which are responsible for producing melanin, in turn, giving the skin its color.
As with other cancers, skin cancers are best treated when detected early. The time of diagnosis and onset of treatment is even more critical for melanoma, which can spread to other parts of the body, compounding the problem.
However, treating cancer is not exactly a venture anyone wants to look forward to – not the patient, not the doctor, and certainly not the patient’s relatives. It can eat very deep into the patient’s normal life, draining mental and physical energy reserves in the process. For this reason, the utmost should be done to prevent cancers that can be directly preventable. Luckily, skin cancers fall into this category.
The primary culprit responsible for skin cancer is overexposure to ultraviolet rays, often from sunlight. We are approaching the summer season, meaning sunbathing will be more popular than ever. Many resort to sunscreens, but that is not enough.
The best and most obvious form of defense against dangerous ultraviolet rays in sunlight is minimizing exposure in the first place. It is impossible to avoid sunlight completely, I know, but the times of highest ultraviolet rays intensity are between 10 am to 3 pm. Therefore, avoiding sunlight between these times is the first step toward reducing overexposure to sunlight.
Next is wearing appropriate clothing. Typically, summer is dominated by people wearing the lightest clothing to combat rising heat. However, if you are exposed to sunlight, try to cover up as much as possible. This includes sleeves, long pants, hats, and even sunglasses.
Additionally, wearing sunscreens before exposure to direct sunlight can reduce the chances of getting skin cancer. These sunscreens act both as a physical barrier, preventing ultraviolet rays from penetrating the skin, and also chemically absorbing the rays in place of the skin cells. Moreover, the sunscreens to use are broad-spectrum, water-resistant ones with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30.
Aside from just direct sunlight, overexposure to UV rays may also result from tanning and in laboratories. Seek to reduce that as much as you can.
Conclusively, skin cancer is preventable, meaning we can actually effect a change. Summer is getting increasingly closer, but so are the high-intensity ultraviolet rays. Cover up as much as you can and apply sunscreen on areas clothing does not cover.
This article was written by Dr. Adil Manzoor DO, a Board Certified Internist & Board Eligible Pediatrician, who works as a Hospitalist, and Emergency Room Physician. He is also the current President of Garden State Street Medicine, a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to provide free preventive and acute urgent care services for the homeless. He is also the co-founder of his own unique medical practice Mobile Medicine NJ.
References
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/05/17/skin-cancer-numbers-2022/
- https://moffitt.org/endeavor/archive/3-4m-americans-will-get-skin-cancer-in-2022/
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15818-skin-cancer#:~:text=Melanoma%20is%20not%20as%20common,treat%20and%20potentially%20life%2Dlimiting.
- https://www.healthline.com/health/skin-cancer#types
