Skin cancer is a disease often believed to only affect older sun worshippers who’ve spent years at the beach or in tanning beds. However, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) members have seen an increase in the diagnoses of skin cancer among their 20 and 30 year-old patients. For this reason, ASDS members are advising patients at every age, that a safe sun protection plan and proper precautions are crucial to help prevent skin cancer.
The two patient profiles below demonstrate the dangers of melanoma and how it can strike anyone at any age. Neither of these patients ever thought melanoma could be a reality for them, but they soon realized that being young doesn’t make you invincible from the dangers of skin cancer.
Jill Sorenson, a TV sports anchor in Washington, D.C., always knew she had to protect herself from the sun. Having fair skin, growing up in Hawaii and then moving to Southern California, time in the sun was a daily part of her life. “I always had a lot of freckles all over my body, so I made sure to see a dermatologist once a year to monitor all the marks,” says Jill. When I started seeing Dr. Lawrence Green there was a large freckle on my shoulder that he suggested we watch for any changes.” A few months later, Jill’s husband noticed a dot in the middle of the freckle and wanted her to have it checked. Dr. Green took a biopsy of the freckle and it came back positive for evolving melanoma. Dr. Green performed a wide excision of the freckle from her shoulder to make sure all the cancerous cells were removed. “I was 27 years-old at the time and when Dr. Green called to tell me the results and that my cancer was close to spreading beyond the top layer of the skin, it was the scariest call of my life...and it changed my life.” Now, Jill sees Dr. Green every six months and continues to have photos taken at his office to document all of her freckles to compare changes over time. She also warns everyone she knows, including her young daughter, about sun exposure and encourages them to take proper precautions while in the sun. “I wear SPF 30 all the time and I always wear SPF 45 on my face. But, having a history of melanoma in my family is scary, my dad had melanoma removed from his ear and my grandmother has had many spots removed from her arms,” says Jill. Even though Jill was always cautious to protect her skin, she is living proof that skin cancer can target any one at any time, and that protection and regular skin screenings are key to catching this deadly disease in an early, treatable stage.
Having just turned 30, Cory Spillman, a Cedar Hill, Texas resident started to feel the effects of growing older and dealing with “vanity” issues. “I began to lose my hair, and a mole that I had on my hairline was becoming more visible and it really started to bother me,” says Cory. “I went to see Dr. Kent Aftergut to have the mole removed and while I was there he did a screening of other freckles and moles on my body and found a spot on my chest that looked suspicious.” Dr. Aftergut took a biopsy of the mole and the results came back positive for late stage one melanoma -- the stage right before melanoma spreads to the blood stream. Because the melanoma was at a dangerously late stage, Dr. Aftergut had to extract the melanoma from Cory’s chest, leaving him with a four inch long scar. After his skin cancer scare, Cory says he is smarter about the time he spends in the sun. “I still enjoy being outdoors, but now I make sure to wear sunscreen at all times, especially on my face and hands.” And, he sees Dr. Aftergut every three months to monitor existing moles for any changes. Cory uses his experience with skin cancer as a tool for educating others and hopes to help raise awareness about sun safety among Cedar Hill, TX residents and employees who work outdoors. “The mole on my hairline saved my life. If not for that mole, I wouldn’t have gone to see Dr. Aftergut, because I never thought it would be possible for me to get skin cancer at such a young age,” says Cory.
If you would like to speak with the patients above or with an ASDS member about skin cancer prevention, contact Jen Bender at 203-325-8772 x17 or
Jbender@environics-usa.com.