Can melanoma be prevented?
Doctors can seldom explain why one person gets melanoma and another doesn't. However, we do know that this disease is not contagious; no one can "catch" cancer from another person.
The number of people who develop melanoma is increasing. Researchers are trying to learn what may cause it. It is believed that the number of melanomas may be increasing mainly because people are spending more time in the sun. It is known that ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun causes skin damage that can lead to melanoma. Artificial sources of UV radiation, such as sunlamps and tanning booths, also can cause skin damage.
Scientists have observed that certain factors increase a person's risk of developing melanoma. Having two or more close relatives who have had this disease is a risk factor because melanoma sometimes runs in families. In fact, about 10 percent of all patients with this disease have family members who also have had melanoma. When melanoma runs in a family, the family members should be checked regularly by a doctor.
Having dysplastic nevi (atypical moles) is another risk factor for melanoma. Dysplastic nevi are more likely than ordinary moles to become cancerous. Many people have only a few of these abnormal moles; the risk of melanoma is greater for people who have a large number of dysplastic nevi. It is highest for people who have a family history of both dysplastic nevi and melanoma.
People who have had one or more severe, blistering sunburns as a child or teenager are at increased risk for melanoma. Because of this, doctors advise protecting children's skin from the sun, which they hope will help prevent melanoma later in life.
Melanoma occurs more frequently in people who have fair skin that burns or freckles easily (these people also usually have red or blond hair and blue eyes) than in people with dark skin. White people contract melanoma far more often than do black people, probably because light skin is more easily damaged by the sun. In addition, this disease is more common in people who live in areas that are exposed to high levels of UV radiation from the sun. In the United States, for example, melanoma is more common in Texas than it is in Minnesota, where the sun is not as strong.
To help prevent melanoma, people should avoid exposure to the midday sun (from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. standard time, or from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daylight savings time) whenever possible. Another simple rule is to protect yourself from the sun when your shadow is shorter than you are. Wearing a hat and long sleeves offer protection. Lotions or creams that contain sunscreens can help prevent sunburn. Doctors believe sunscreens may help prevent melanoma, especially those that block both types of ultraviolet radiation. Sunscreens are rated in strength according to a sun protection factor (SPF), which ranges from 2 to 15 and higher. Those rated 15 or higher provide the best protection.
Can melanoma be prevented?
