FORT SMITH, Ark. — We are in the middle of Melanoma Awareness Month, a month set aside to bring awareness to a preventable yet deadly form of cancer.
While finding and treating this type of cancer has gotten better, it still leads to thousands of deaths each year.
"One person in the United States dies every hour from melanoma," Dr. Sandy Johnson of Johnson Dermatology in Fort Smith said.
According to Dr. Johnson, the best way to avoid getting this kind of cancer is by paying attention to your skin.
"Do yourself skin exams every month, examine your partner every month," she said. "If you notice anything changing or growing, come in [and] get seen quickly. Don't wait. And then be 'sun smart' — use your sun protection."
Remember the ABCDEs of melanoma:
- A is for asymmetric.
- B is for borders. Are the borders irregular?
- C is for color. Is it different colors?
- D is for diameter.
- E is for evolving. Is it growing?
Dr. Johnson takes it one letter further.
"F is plain funny-looking," she said. "If it doesn't look like anything else you have, come in and get it checked. We can see your skin. It's not difficult. It's very quick, very easy. And if you're worried about it, it's very easy to remove a spot, send it to the lab, and have great peace of mind."
She says the quicker you notice something unusual and get it treated, the better your chances are of survival.
"We have new treatments for melanoma and the treatments are better," Dr. Johnson said. "You don't have as many side effects with these targeted therapies as you used to."
Dr. Johnson says it's best to get a yearly skin exam. However, if you have a history of skin cancer, she recommends every 3 to 6 months.
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