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What shape is your skin in? Regular checkups save lives
From Spotlight on Health Mar./Apr. 2008
After her husband was diagnosed
with basal cell carcinoma about
four years ago, Kerri Dirkes of
Sartell decided to have a mole
checked.
It was her
young
daughter who
brought the
mole to
Dirkes’
attention.“When Zoey
was only
1 year old, she
would often pick on this mole on
my stomach,” said Dirkes, now age
29. “I didn’t recall having that mole
while I was pregnant.”
At her annual skin check in
December 2006, she mentioned
that mole to Christina Anderson,
M.D., a dermatologist from
CentraCare Clinic.
“She took a biopsy and two days
later called to tell me that I had
cancer,” Dirkes said. “I didn’t
realize at first how serious
melanoma is. I thought she’d just
be able to freeze it off and it
would be done.”
After several tests, lab work and
X-rays, Dirkes was scheduled for
surgery to remove the lymph
nodes under her arms, in her right
groin area and under her left
breast. (This surgery is done to
ensure that the melanoma has not
spread to these areas.)
“It was a scary time for me and
my family, but thankfully, the
lymph nodes were clear,” Dirkes
said. “I had a wonderful team of
professionals caring for me. They
were all incredible.”
After attending
a friend’s
funeral in
December
2007, Karen
Kruse realized
how blessed she
was years ago to
have been
referred by her
primary care physician for skin
cancer checks. Her friend died from
melanoma, a cancer with which
Kruse, 52, recently was diagnosed.
“My doctors told me I was very
fortunate it was found early or my
prognosis could have been a lot
worse,” Kruse said.
After Kruse’s annual skin check by
Dr. Anderson in December 2007,
results from a mole biopsy showed melanoma, which required surgery
and a check of her lymph nodes.
Thankfully, the lymph nodes were
clear.
Kruse is a fair-skinned woman of
Irish descent who grew up on a
farm. Although she never was a
“sun worshipper,” she did
experience many sunburns as a
child.
“I have been advised to use
sunscreen every day and encourage
everyone I see to wear sunscreen,
to get their skin checked regularly
and to be aware of any skin
changes. Discovering skin cancer
early can make the difference
between life or a life-threatening
situation,” Kruse added.
Skin cancer is the most prevalent
of all types of cancers, affecting
more than one million Americans
every year.
Fair-skinned people who sunburn
easily are at a particularly high risk
for developing skin cancer.
Types of skin cancer
| Actinic keratoses appears as
small, scaly spots most commonly
found on the face, ears, neck,
lower arms and back of the
hands. Sunscreen can help
prevent actinic keratoses even
after extensive sun damage. |
| Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) appears frequently on the head,
neck and hands, as well as other
body parts, as a small, fleshy
bump, nodule or red patch. Left
untreated, the cancer often will
begin to bleed, crust over, heal
and repeat the cycle. BCC can
extend below the skin to the
bones and nerves, causing local
damage. |
| Squamous cell carcinoma is
typically located on the rim of the
ear, the face, lips and mouth as a
bump or red, scaly patch. It can
develop into large masses and
spread to other body parts. |
Malignant melanoma is the
most deadly of all skin cancers.
It may appear suddenly or begin
in or near a mole, or another dark
spot on the skin. Excessive sun
exposure is the most common
cause.
Melanoma warning signs
include:
- Changes in the surface of a
mole.
- Scaliness, oozing, bleeding or
the appearance of a new bump.
- Spread of pigment from the
border of a mole into
surrounding skin.
- Change in sensation, including
itchiness, tenderness or pain.
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Treatment of skin cancer
The best way to detect skin cancer is to develop a regular routine to
inspect your body for any skin changes. It also is recommended to have
an annual skin examination by your doctor and, most importantly, stay
out of the sun.
If you are concerned about skin changes, please contact your primary
care doctor or call CentraCare Clinic’s Dermatology department at (320) 229-4924.
Visit our health library to learn more about:
Melanoma
Non-melanoma skin cancer
The ABCDs of skin cancer
Learn more about CentraCare Clinic's board-certified dermatologists.
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