{"id":198289,"date":"2024-05-27T08:00:46","date_gmt":"2024-05-27T18:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=198289"},"modified":"2024-09-25T14:31:32","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T00:31:32","slug":"tips-to-prevent-skin-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/05\/27\/tips-to-prevent-skin-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&A: Essential tips to prevent skin cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\"people<\/p>\n

With summer approaching, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> residents are expected to spend a lot more time in the sun. In Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> alone, 10,000 people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year, according to the American Cancer Society. It is the most common cancer in the U.S.<\/abbr>, affecting one in five adults, with excessive ultraviolet (UV<\/abbr>) radiation being the main risk factor. Skin cancer is, however, also the most preventable form of cancer.<\/p>\n

\"Kevin
Kevin Cassel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To help us stay safe, UH<\/abbr> News<\/em> interviewed Kevin Cassel, an associate researcher and professor at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Cancer Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n

His work focuses on cancer control interventions and raising awareness about skin cancer prevention. Cassel is part of the recently-launched Skin Check Van<\/a> initiative, which promotes education on the risks of skin cancer and sun protection prevention measures in the community.<\/p>\n

What are the different types of skin cancer and their risks?<\/h2>\n

There are three major types of skin cancer: basal cell, squamous cell and melanoma. Basal cell and squamous cell cancers occur in the base and upper layers of the skin, and are typically not life threatening. Out of the 5.4 million cases, about 3,000 people die each year. However, melanoma, which occurs in about 100,000 people each year in the U.S.<\/abbr>, is more virulent, and it has the propensity to be life-threatening. To reduce the overall risk of skin cancer, it is crucial to prevent overexposure to UV<\/abbr> radiation from the sun.<\/p>\n

What should we know about UV<\/abbr> radiation from the sun?<\/h2>\n

The most important thing is to look at ways to reduce overexposure. What we’re trying to do is to prevent people from having severe sunburns. Severe sunburns are one of the predominant causes of skin cancers. Ultraviolet radiation exposure from the sun is cumulative over a person’s life course. High exposure to ultraviolet radiation in early childhood and young adulthood is leading to an increase in skin cancers, including melanoma, among people aged 15 to 29. In fact, skin cancer is now the second most common type of cancer in this age group.<\/p>\n

What are some key prevention tips?<\/h2>\n

\"person<\/p>\n

There are a lot of ways to reduce the risk for skin cancers. Here in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>, because of our proximity to the equator, we are more exposed to direct ultraviolet radiation from the sun. <\/p>\n