What are we talking about?
According to the National Cancer Institute (INCa), Melanoma is a disease of skin cells called melanocytes These cells are best known for their major role in the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for tanning. Altogether, 80% of cutaneous melanomas appear on healthy skin, and in 20% of cases from a mole.
Melanoma has the potential to become invasive (when it reaches the dermis) and to form metastases in distant organs (lungs, liver, brain, etc.) or surrounding lymph nodes.
In terms of frequency, 15,500 new cases of skin cancer are detected annually in France, a number that is constantly growing. ” It is the cancer in which the number of new cases is increasing annually (incidence rate): for 30 years, the incidence progression is 4% per year in men and 2.7% in women. The number of deaths is estimated at about 1,600 each year, INCa specifies.
How do you discover yourself?
As mentioned above, a mole can lead to skin cancer. This is why it is beneficial to check your skin regularly. This is what the campaign recommends #think about it.
To do this, carefully monitor your skin from the face to the toes through the back, not forgetting about the palms, soles and spaces between the fingers. Ask a family member to take pictures of your moles. In concrete terms, adopting the ABCDE rule, the French Society of Dermatology advises:
- A “asymmetry”: one half of the mole is not like the other half;
- B for “irregular edges”: edges are poorly defined, jagged, indented, fuzzy;
- C ‘Heterogeneous colour’: color varies from one area of the lesion to another.
- D for “diameter”: often greater than 6 mm;
- E for “Evolution”: A change in the appearance of a mole, whether in size, shape, or color.
Other criteria should alert you and encourage you to make an appointment with a dermatologist. This is the case if a mole, old or new, itches or bleeds. Or if you notice a task or other new ingredient on your skin. These tips are even more important since the earlier skin cancer is caught, the higher the chances of a cure.
What are the risk factors?
It is essential to protect yourself and your children from the summer sun. For this :
We are not all equal when it comes to skin cancer risk. Aside from sun exposure, there are two risk factors you can’t act against: a family history of skin cancer as well as your skin type. Such as having a large number of moles (more than 50) and/or fair/white skin that never tans or very slowly.
The right steps to protect yourself
- It is essential to protect yourself and your children from the summer sun. For this :
- Find shade.
- do not expose yourself between 12 noon and 4 pm;
- Use a photoprotective sunscreen with the highest protection factor;
- renew the application every two hours;
- Do not frequent UV cabins.
You can find all of these ban messages at Social networks via #Tâchezdypenser. Finally, a digital brochure on the subject is available on the information site My Cancer.com.
