Slip, Slap, Slop – And For Good Measure - Wrap.
Four words that can save your skin – and maybe even your life.
James Piephoff, M.D., board-certified radiation oncologist and director of radiation oncology at Saint Anthony’s Health Center’s Cancer Center of Excellence, says skin cancer is the most preventable of cancers. Slipping on a shirt, slapping on a hat and slopping on sunscreen before you face the elements, Dr. Piephoff says, is the American Cancer Society’s way of getting your attention concerning the importance of taking measures to keep skin cancer at bay. Wrapping sunglasses around your eyes as well is even better.
“Skin cancer is preventable with protection and it is very curable especially if it’s caught early,” Dr. Piephoff said. “Be very aware of your skin and its moles and blemishes. Once a month everyone should examine their skin – usually after a shower when you’re clean and undressed.”
Follow your ABCs and Ds as far as what to look for with suspicious moles or blemishes. Asymmetry (it should look the same on both sides); Border (should be smooth); Color (should be uniform); and Diameter (should not be above six millimeters, or about the size of a pencil eraser).
The number one cause of skin cancer is sun exposure, and wearing sunscreen with at least a 15 SPF rating can help to prevent all types – melanoma, basal cell and squamous cell. Wait about 30 minutes after applying sunscreen before going out in the sun and reapply every two hours, unless you sweat, swim or towel off. In these instances, reapply it more often.
“Basically, the only ‘safe’ tan is sprayed on,” Dr. Piephoff said. “We all need some sun exposure, but in small doses and while using protection. A suntan that you see on your skin is really visual sun damage.”
Skin cancer is the most common of all cancer types, with more than one million diagnosed each year. This represents about one half of all diagnosed cancers in the United States each year. About 97 percent of those skin cancers are non-melanoma.
“About four out of five are basal cell, which are pretty localized,” he said. “Squamous cells have a little more tendency to spread, but both basal and squamous are generally treatable locally, but still – 1,000 to 2,000 people die from non-melanoma cancers and they can be locally destructive.”
Out of approximately 60,000 melanoma diagnoses, there are about 8,000 deaths.
“But they also have a high cure rate if caught early,” Dr. Piephoff said.
He said that people who have been diagnosed with a basal cell skin cancer have a 35 percent to 50 percent chance of developing another one.
“We are seeing these types of cancers on patients who are younger and younger,” Dr. Piephoff said. “Severe sun burns as children and extensive use of tanning beds are believed to play a role.”
Other causes of skin cancer may include chemical exposure, smoking, heredity, and Dr. Piephoff says sometimes arise at the site of a chronic skin ulceration.
“Initial treatment of the non-melanoma type generally involves surgery,” he said. “Sometimes if it’s on the face and cosmetically, surgery would not be the best course or for other reasons, radiation is used and can be just as effective.”
 | James Piephoff, M.D., board-certified radiation oncologist and director of radiation oncology at Saint Anthony's Health Center's Cancer Center of Excellence demonstrates how the superficial X-ray machine is used in the treatment of skin cancer. |
Surgery is quicker and completed all at once, while radiation therapy is completed over a course of multiple visits so sometimes convenience plays a role in the patient’s chosen method of treatment. Piephoff says Saint Anthony’s superficial X-ray machine is used in the treatment of skin cancer and is the only one of its kind in the Metro East.
“It’s the gold standard for the treatment of skin cancer because it limits the radiation exposure to the depth and target spot of the skin lesion,” he said. “The success rate with this machine is well above 90 percent.”
Melanoma is usually treated first with surgery and followed with radiation if needed, because it has more of a tendency to spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Dr. Piephoff has been with Saint Anthony’s Cancer Center of Excellence since 2003. He said it’s important for people to realize that Saint Anthony’s Cancer Center offers the same types of technology for treatment and therapy found in centers in St. Louis, but is much more convenient for Illinois residents.
“We match up with national statistics on outcomes,” he said.
For more information about skin cancer and skin cancer screenings, please call 618/465-2264.