What Is The Value Of Education When It Comes To Skin Cancer?
Raising public awareness of skin cancer can help prevention and treatment.
The value of an education is one, which, despite rising tuition costs, is priceless. It may seem like a cliché, but those statements that are so considered are often overstated for a reason: they are relevant. Quality education helps increase one’s access to diverse topics, people, and points of view, all essential to critical thinking. In a world that becomes more complex by the day, this skill cannot be overstated.
Things are rarely linear, and the ability to think outside of the box is essential. When it comes to cancer care, this is an especially important asset. Cancer does not come with a rule book with clearly defined steps for how to diagnose, treat, or truly understand it. The same is true for understanding how to prevent cancer. However, raising awareness and educating yourself is one way to demystify its dynamics. Skin cancer is no exception.
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer affecting humans and is one of the most preventable types of cancer through education and public awareness. Furthermore, skin cancer, like almost all cancers, is curable if caught early enough and because most skin cancers are easily identifiable on the surface of the skin, it is the most common cancer to be identified by the patient themselves at early stages. This is one of the many reasons why skin screenings are so important.
The main goal of community skin screenings is not to find skin cancers at the time of the screening (though I have from time to time), but to identify people with skin changes and family history that makes them prone to developing skin cancers in the future. Those patients are then referred to a local dermatologist for regular screening visits.
Monitoring the skin is essential. The more you monitor, the more likely you are to identify problematic skin lesions or skin cancer. Educate yourself on the ABCDE’s of melanoma, and the signs of Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC). These are helpful to remember, as they can help detection.
Early detection can help to increase options for treatment, and subsequently improve long-term survival rates. In addition to attending your normal appointments, it is recommended to conduct self-exams in the interim, at least once a month. Depending on your history of cancer and any conditions which may predispose you to develop skin cancer, you may need to do checks more frequently.
You can take measures to help prevent skin cancer by adding simple actions to your daily routine. Wearing protective clothing when out in the sun, seeking shade where possible, and wearing sunscreen are all easy ways to protect the skin from harmful UV radiation, one of the leading causes of skin cancers.
Education and awareness are both powerful tools. They can help us have more agency over our own health. In a time when this is under threat, it may be your best defense.
About James Goydos, M.D.
James Goydos is an expert in melanoma research and specialist in surgical oncology with an M.D. from Rutgers University. With over 20 years of experience as a Professor, Surgeon, and Clinical Trial Lead, he is a leading expert in his field.
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