Soaking up the Sun

Almost 1A.M. on July 26th and of course, I am still awake. This post was originally planned for a different topic. However, life continues to get in the way.

This evening, I attended the Wrap-up dinner for the 2012 ACS Relay for Life. More people attended this year’s final meeting than the past two years combined. It was a great turnout. Had the opportunity to meet new people and reflect with old friends on the success of Relay.

I return home from the dinner to a social media posting from a close friend, who just had a skin lesion removed today. She saw a dermatologist yesterday and he seemed to be concerned. Today the lesion was removed and sent for testing. Now, I am going to lay down some skin cancer 101.

There are 3 common forms of skin cancer; Basal cell carcinomas (BCC), Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), and Melanomas.

Basal cell carcinomas are typically present on sun-exposed areas of your skin. They rarely metastasize or cause death, and are easily treated with surgery or radiation. Next up is Squamous cell carcinomas. SCCs are also common, but much less than BCCs. They metastasize more frequently than BCCS. However, the metastasis rate is quite low, with a few exceptions to the lip, ear, and patients, who are immunosuppressed. Lastly, we have Melanomas, which are the least frequent diagnosed of the 3 common skin cancers. Unfortunately, treatment is aggressive and they metastasize frequently and could eventually cause death once they spread.

Our collective breath is being held in anticipation of the biopsy results. Once the classification returns, treatment could be as simple as using a chemo cream and some localized radiation, or as aggressive as intravenous chemo and oral medications.

I seldom write about anyone other than myself, but she is a good friend and it is good reason to discuss skin cancer prevention. I understand many people love the sun and always want to be under its rays. You just need to take the proper precautions. Don’t use tanning booths. There is really no reason ever to fake and bake. Secondly, when you go to the beach, pool, or are simply in your yard, be sure to apply sunblock. Also, remember to reapply after sweating and swimming for long periods.

Cancer comes in so many forms and there are still so few cures. Don’t play with fire and tempt fate. Smoking is bad for you. Too much sun is bad for you. Please take precaution with your lives. It doesn’t only affect you. It affects everyone around you.

Cheers!

PS:
Stacy, I am sending you positive energy and prayers. The darkness time is now, before diagnosis. Once you know what the challenge is, I am confident you can beat everything. You are one the stronger women, I’ve ever known. You can do anything and I’m always here to help you through.