Skin Cancer: Men Over Age 50 and Those with Risk Factors
by the American Academy of Dermatology
Analysis of the First 15 Years of the American Academy of Dermatology’s National Skin Cancer Screening Program Confirms Previous Findings of Populations Most at Risk
NEW YORK (April 29, 2003) – Free health screenings have become a fixture in everyday life across America. From shopping malls to fitness clubs, people of all ages are taking advantage of preventative health care opportunities to help prevent and detect potentially serious diseases.
To combat the growing risk of skin cancer in this country, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) initiated a national skin cancer screening program in 1985 that has provided free skin exams to more than 1.3 million people. A new study examining data collected over the first 15 years from program participants found two distinct groups most at risk for skin cancer, including melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer.
Speaking today at the American Academy of Dermatology’s Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month Press Conference, dermatologist Allan C. Halpern, MD, Chief, Department of Dermatology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, and co-author of “The first 15 years of the American Academy of Dermatology Skin Cancer Screening Programs: 1985-1999,” published in the January 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and the October 2002 issue of the journal Cancer, discussed the study’s findings.
The purpose of the AAD’s skin cancer screening program is to reduce the rate of illness and death from skin cancer. Skin cancer is a large and growing problem in the American population. Over the past decades, the incidence of all three major types of skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma) has risen dramatically. According to current statistics, nearly half of all new cancers are skin cancers and more than 1 million new skin cancer cases will be diagnosed in the United States this year. It is estimated that skin cancer will claim 9,800 lives in 2003.
As expected, a large number of suspected skin cancers were detected through the AAD’s national skin cancer screening program. Of the participants who were screened, presumptive diagnosis indicated more than 10 percent of participants were suspected of having skin cancer – approximately 9 percent were suspected of having a basal cell carcinoma, 1 percent had lesions suspicious for squamous cell carcinoma, and 0.8 percent had lesions thought to be melanoma. Upon further examination of the suspected 0.8 percent melanoma lesions, at least 363 melanomas were confirmed by biopsies.
The majority of these melanomas were discovered at an early and relatively easily-cured stage of development.
“When we looked at the data of who was being diagnosed with melanoma, we found that the majority of these people were men over age 50,” explained Dr. Halpern. “In fact, when we examined data from 1992 to 1994 of confirmed melanomas, 44 percent of individuals diagnosed with melanoma were white men over the age of 50 – even though they comprised fewer than 20 percent of all those screened during this three-year time period.”
According to the AAD’s screening data, the following subgroups (in order of decreasing frequency) yielded the highest number of confirmed melanomas: men over age 50 with a changing mole or fair skin, and men under age 50 with a changing mole or fair skin.
Although the data shows that men accounted for the majority of diagnosed cases of melanoma, this demographic accounted for only 39 percent of the total number of people screened over the 15-year study. Women made up 61 percent of the total people screened.
“We have long suspected that men are the least likely group to perform monthly skin self-examinations or visit a dermatologist regularly, thus increasing their chances of having a potentially life-threatening, undetected melanoma,” said Dr. Halpern. “It’s critical that middle-aged and older men understand the risk factors for melanoma, perform regular skin self-exams, and take advantage of free screening opportunities such as the AAD’s skin cancer screening program.”
In further examining the individuals who participated in the AAD’s free skin cancer screenings, a vast majority had one or more risk factors for developing skin cancer. Among the reported skin cancer risk factors among the screened population, 95 percent of participants were white, 37 percent had a fair complexion and sunburn easily, 33 percent had a family history of a changing mole, and 28 percent had a family history of skin cancer.
“Our data suggests that the AAD’s skin cancer screening program not only serves a high-risk population, but half of the screening participants that we studied reported that they would not have seen a doctor for skin cancer without the free screening,” reported Dr. Halpern. “It’s encouraging that individuals with multiple risk factors for developing skin cancer made up the majority of our program’s screening participants. Clearly, the AAD is succeeding in educating the public about assessing their personal skin cancer risk and ultimately helping save lives.”
In May, the AAD has designated the first Monday of the month as Melanoma Monday. This year, Melanoma Monday (May 5) marked the beginning of the 19th annual Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month. During May and throughout the year, nearly 2,000 dermatologists will be offering free screenings for early skin cancers, including melanoma. These screenings will take place at local hospitals, work places, health fairs and other designated sites. Consumers who want to find a screening in their area can visit the AAD’s web site at www.aad.org for a list of dermatologists conducting free skin cancer screenings.
The AAD’s skin cancer screening program is a community-based program that is open to the general public and relies on dermatologists who volunteer their time to perform the screening examinations. Prior to the screenings, participants complete a standardized AAD screening form. Results from these screening forms and the actual skin examination are maintained, tabulated, and analyzed by the AAD in a collaborative effort with researchers from Boston University.
Press release issued by the American Academy of Dermatology
aad.org
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Last updated: 07/28/03
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