Your Skin Protects You – Protect It Back.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, affecting millions of people each year. The most frequently diagnosed types—basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma—are often highly treatable when caught early.
Melanoma is less common but more aggressive, with thousands of new cases diagnosed annually. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, an estimated 234,680 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2026. Early detection is key, as it can prevent the cancer from spreading to other parts of the body.
Risk Factors
Risk factors for skin cancer include:
- Excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning beds
- History of sunburns
- Fair skin, however, it can affect individuals of all skin tones
- Family history of skin cancer
- Atypical moles and weakened immune system
Prevention Practices
Many skin cancers are preventable through skin-smart behaviors such as daily sunscreen use, wearing protective clothing, seeking shade and limiting peak sun exposure. As childhood and adolescent sunburns can significantly increase melanoma risk later in life, it reinforces the importance of early sun protection habits.
Regular skin self-exams and routine dermatologic evaluations are key steps to help detect skin cancer early, when treatment is most effective.
Know Your ABCDEs
Individuals should monitor for new or changing spots and follow the ABCDE guidelines for identifying potential warning signs of melanoma:
- A is for Asymmetry: One half of the spot is unlike the other half.
- B is for Border: The spot has an irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined border.
- C is for Color: The spot has varying colors from one area to the next, such as shades of tan, brown or black, or areas of white, red, or blue.
- D is for Diameter: While melanomas are usually greater than 6 millimeters, or about the size of a pencil eraser, when diagnosed, they can be smaller.
- E is for Evolving: The spot looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape or color.
Specialized Treatment for Skin Cancer
Should a skin cancer diagnosis be confirmed, our experts provide a variety of treatment options such as:
- Mohs micrographic surgery – This is a technique to remove skin cancer from the face and other sensitive areas of the body while preserving healthy surrounding tissue.
- Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) – This type of radiation therapy focuses on the source of cancer while sparing surrounding tissue.
- Superficial radiation therapy – administers a shallow dose of radiation while protecting the structure beneath the skin. Radiation therapy is an option for treating patients with basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma on the eyelids, nose or ears.
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
