Skin Cancer Screening
The most common forms of skin cancer — basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma — are often curable if detected early. However, melanoma, the much rarer form, can be fatal, which is why early detection is so important.
If you have fair skin, had multiple sunburns during childhood or have a family history of skin cancer, you should make annual skin exams a priority. Even if you have no known risk factors and are just worried about a suspicious mole, Beaufort Memorial’s primary care providers (PCPs) are here to help.
Find a PCP accepting new patients.
Skin Cancer Prevention
Most skin cancers are caused by long-term or intense exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, from either the sun or tanning beds. Take the following steps to prevent skin cancer and limit damage caused by UV radiation:
- Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest.
- Wear protective clothing during the sun’s strongest hours, including long pants, long-sleeved shirts, wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses.
- Wear sunscreen with sun protection factor (SPF) 15 or higher every day. If you are staying outside, reapply it every two hours, or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating. Applying a broad-spectrum SPF 15 or higher sunscreen daily to sun-exposed areas can reduce your risk of squamous cell skin cancer by about 40% and melanoma by 50%.
- Never use tanning beds.
Skin Cancer Screening
Skin cancer is highly preventable with proper screening. Our board-certified primary care providers offer comprehensive exams to assess any concerns or changes in your skin.
After a thorough examination of your skin, your provider may remove a small sample of tissue from suspicious areas for a skin biopsy. You may also have imaging tests to examine lymph nodes. If warranted, your provider may perform a sentinel lymph node biopsy, an in-office procedure to remove a lymph node, and test it for signs of cancer.
Many small tumors can be removed easily with a simple outpatient Mohs micrographic surgery, a procedure that removes existing cancer.
If a cancer appears more advanced, imaging scans may be used to determine the extent of the cancer. Based on the stage of the cancer, your provider will work closely with you and our oncology specialists to create a personalized treatment plan.
You should also perform skin self-exams regularly, looking out for suspicious spots or moles that meet “ABCDE” criteria, which indicate it could be melanoma:
- Asymmetry
- Borders that are uneven or irregular
- Different colors or shades throughout a mole
- Diameter larger than ¼ inch
- Evolving shapes, sizes or colors