Published: May 04, 2009 05:56 am      

Free skin screenings set for May 4

Free skin cancer screenings will be held Monday, May 4, from 9 a.m. to noon at Cumberland Dermatology, 29 Taylor Avenue, Suite 101 to coincide with Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, sponsored by the American Academy of Dermatology and the Tennessee Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition.

The screenings are part of a national campaign to encourage early detection and teach prevention of skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in this country. Approximately 1 million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year.

The academy’s national detection and prevention program is in its 25th year and is being launched this year on May 4, which has been designated Melanoma Monday, to raise awareness of melanoma and urge Americans to regularly examine their skin for signs of this serious form of skin cancer.

“We want everyone to consider Melanoma Monday the first day of a lifelong habit of examining their skin,” said Dr. Morrison. “Melanoma Monday is like New Year’s Day for dermatologists. It’s a day when we encourage everyone to start a new life-saving habit.”

Skin self-examinations consist of periodically looking over your body for any changes in the size, color, shape or texture of a mole, the development of a new mole or any other unusual changes in the skin. Any of these signs should be reported to a dermatologist right away.

To do a thorough exam, it’s important to use a full-length and hand-held mirror so you can see the back of your head, your back and buttocks. Don’t forget places like your scalp, the soles of your feet and between your toes, under your arms and the palms of your hands.

A survey commissioned by the academy showed that fewer than one-third of Americans currently examine their skin for signs of melanoma and more than half don’t know the signs of melanoma. Dermatologists want to change this because when treated in its earliest stages, melanoma can be cured. If not treated early, the disease can quickly spread to other parts of the body and can be fatal.

“The key to the successful treatment of most types of cancer is early detection and treatment,” Dr. Morrison said. “With melanoma, early detection is easy because the signs are visible on the surface of the skin.”

More than 105,000 new cases of melanoma occurred in 2005, and more than 7,700 people were expected to die of the disease. Since the 1930s, the incidence of melanoma has increased more than 2000 percent. One person dies of melanoma every hour.

The members of the American Academy of Dermatology and Tennessee Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition invite the public to take advantage of the free screenings during Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month. For more information, call (931) 484-6061 to schedule an appointment.

Headquartered in Schaumburg, IL, the American Academy of Dermatology, founded in 1938, is the largest, most influential, and most representative of all dermatologic associations. With a membership of more than 14,000 physicians worldwide, the academy is committed to: advancing the diagnosis and medical, surgical and cosmetic treatment of the skin, hair and nails; advocating high standards in clinical practice, education, and research in dermatology; and supporting and enhancing patient care for a lifetime of healthier skin, hair and nails.

For more information, contact the academy at 1-888-462-DERM (3376) or www.aad.org.