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Skin Cancer

Overview

More than one million new cases of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers are diagnosed each year. An additional 55,000 people are diagnosed with a more serious form of skin cancer called melanoma. While skin cancers are usually highly curable, melanoma causes about 8,000 deaths each year.


Skin Cancer

Prevention

The best treatment for skin cancer is to prevent it! The American Cancer Society recommends the following for the prevention of skin cancer:

  • Limit or avoid exposure to the sun during the midday hours (10 AM to 4PM)
  • When outdoors, wear a hat that shades the face, neck, and ears, and a long-sleeved shirt and long pants. Wear sunglasses to protect the skin around the eyes and the eye.
  • Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.
  • Because severe sunburns in childhood may greatly increase risk of melanoma in later life, children, in particular, should be protected from the sun.
  • Visit the National Cancer Institute or American Cancer Society for additional information.

Skin Cancer

Diagnosis

The ABCDE rule outlines warning signs of skin cancer:

    Asymmetry, one half of the mole does not match the other half.
    Border irregularity, the edges are ragged, notched or blurred.
    Color, the pigmentation is not uniform, with variable degrees of tan, brown or black.
    Diameter greater than six millimeters.
    Evolution, any change in an existing mole or lesion.

KHN offers free annual skin cancer screenings each May in collaboration with the American Cancer Society and Wright State University, School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology. For more information, please call the Cancer Services office at (937) 395-8115 or the American Cancer Society at 1-888-ACS-OHIO (1-888-227-6446).


Skin Cancer

Treatment

Treatment can depend on stage and type of skin cancer. Treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or other methods. The National Cancer Institute provides treatment option overviews.

KHN offers a painless option to eliminate skin lesions with minimal side effects - High Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy with a tool called the Valencia Applicator.

For small superficial skin carcinomas, HDR offers an effective alternative to other treatment options. Patient set-up is fast and accurate, and the treatment and recovery times are very short. The HDR unit robotically feeds a radioactive source to quarter-sized Valencia applicator. This delivers a more uniform dose than previous metal applicators and provides outstanding clinical and cosmetic results.

These non-invasive treatments are delivered painlessly and last approximately 10 minutes per site, with treatments given every other week day for 2-4 weeks until the cancer is eliminated.

An experienced KHN radiation oncologist and a dermatologist work collaboratively to decide whether the Valencia HDR treatment or surgery would be the best fit for the patient. For more information on the treatment of skin cancer with the Valencia Applicator, ask your physician or call (937) 395-8115.


Skin Cancer

Support Groups/Education


Looking Ahead Support Group

This group helps individuals living with cancer, their families and friends. For those newly diagnosed with cancer as well as long-term survivors. Meets at Kettering Medical Center on the first Tuesday of each month except June and December. Check the Looking Ahead newsletter or call Cancer Services at (937) 395-8115 for more information.

I Can Cope

This is a series of educational classes for people with cancer, their families and friends. The program helps people meet the challenge of coping with cancer by distinguishing cancer myths from facts. This FREE program provides practical information about cancer, cancer treatments and offers self-care strategies and resources for those facing cancer. This American Cancer Society Program is co-sponsored by Kettering Health Network.

Call the American Cancer Society at 1-888-ACS-OHIO (227-6446) for current dates, location and to register.

Cancer Resource Center

The Cancer Resource Center (CRC) is a collaborative effort between your American Cancer Society and Kettering Medical Center. The CRC is located at Kettering Memorial Hospital, ground floor, adjacent to the Radiation Therapy waiting area, and is open to the public from 9 AM to 4 PM, Monday through Friday, except holidays and during special events. Trained volunteers are available to assist you with information about cancer, cancer prevention and early detection, cancer treatments, coping and support groups and other resources. Information called also be mailed upon request. Call (937) 395-8081.

Makarius Library

The Makarius Library is located at Kettering Memorial Hospital, 3 South. This is a free lending library with materials on cancer, treatment, coping and inspiration. Items may be signed out for up to four weeks. The library is open daily, except during patient care meetings.