Golf tournament benefits effort to fight skin cancer

“We want people to know that melanoma, for the most part, is very preventable, but we have to get people the information they need to take care of themselves. Not everyone understands that the sun is a major factor in all skin cancers and we help promote that,” said Lisa Quale, health educator for the University of Arizona Cancer Center Skin Cancer Institute.

Melanoma is a less common form of skin cancer than basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, but it is also more deadly. If not detected and treated early, it can spread rapidly to other organs.

Someone dies from melanoma every hour in the United States; Arizona has one of the highest rates of incidence in the nation, with an estimated 42.3 new cases of melanoma diagnosed per 100,000 residents in 2022 according to the American Cancer Society.

The numbers are personal to Quale, who is determined to educate the public about the very real threats from sun exposure.

“I started doing this 15 years ago and I do feel like people have more knowledge and respect for the sun. Hopefully they are starting to cover up, stay in the shade, and wear sunscreen. All of those little things really help you,” she said.

Quale promotes personal skin awareness about moles, birthmarks and other spots and encourages monthly self-exams of the body, face and scalp.

The Skin Cancer Institute utilizes the ABCDE guide: Asymmetry, in which one side of a mole doesn’t match the other; Border irregularity, in which the edges are ragged, notched, irregular or blurred; Color of the mole isn’t the same throughout or has shades of tan, brown, black, red, white or blue; Diameter of greater than 6 millimeters (about the size of a pencil eraser); and Evolving of moles or spots that show any of changes over time to size, shape, shades of color or sensation (itching, tenderness, or surface bleeding).

Quale also suggests making sun protection routine and utilizing sunscreens with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 50 or higher. She also prefers sunscreens containing zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or Avabenzone, a chemical that absorbs and neutralizes ultraviolet radiation from the sun before it can cause damage.

“Make sun protection part of your daily routine. When you brush your teeth, put on your sunscreen. I am also a big proponent of covering up. Having something covering your skin is a good way to avoid exposure to UV radiation from the sun. Whether you cover up and/or use sunscreen, always remember the tops of your ears, your scalp, and your hands. And, of course, sunscreen wears off over the course of the day, so you need to reapply,” Quale said.