Medical Moment: How Often Should I Be Screened for Skin Cancer?

12 Mar Medical Moment: How Often Should I Be Screened for Skin Cancer?

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Gary Wright Memorial Free Skin Cancer Screening Clinic, Saturday, March 14: Third annual Gary Wright Memorial Free Skin Cancer Screening Clinic. 8a.m.-12p.m. at the Sheridan Opera House. Free. First come, first served.

The Telluride Medical Center’s Primary Care Team – in order of appearance:

Dr. Kent Gaylord, Eric Johnson, Dr. Sharon Grundy, Laura Cattell, Dr. Heather Lindner

Question: How often should I be screened for skin cancer?

One in five Americans will develop skin cancer over the course of their lifetime, in fact, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.

The two most common types of skin cancer, basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, are highly curable, but can be disfiguring and costly. Melanoma, the third most common skin cancer, is more dangerous and causes the most deaths. The majority of these three types of skin cancer are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.

Living at altitude puts us all at even higher risks.

Get screened, get skin savvy this Saturday, March 14, the Gary Wright Memorial Free Skin Cancer Screening Clinic, an annual event which aims to raise awareness about skin cancer and prevention.

The Telluride Medical Center will host Dr. Scott Wickless, formerly of Durango dermatology, along with support staff and Montrose Dermatology to offer free skin cancer screenings at the Sheridan Opera House, from 8a.m. – 12p.m.

Doctors at the third annual Gary Wright Memorial Free Skin Cancer Screening Clinic will screen for the three types of skin cancer.

Over 100 people attended the last Skin Cancer Screening Clinic, an effort that identified suspicious lesions in approximately 10% of the patients.

The Primary Care Team at the Telluride Medical Center, recommends annual skin screenings for everyone living in Telluride. We are physically closer to the sun, and there is more ultraviolet light. Particularly in the winter when people don’t seem to think about it as much, but sun exposure is actually greater because those rays bounce back up from the snow.

Individuals with blonde or red hair, freckles and a history of chronic sun exposure, sunburns or tanning bed use, and those with a history of melanoma in the family are at greater risk for melanoma.

In its early stages, melanoma can be treated with surgical removal, and is often first found by regular skin screenings.

Some melanoma cancers show up on non-sun exposed areas.

And with melanoma especially, it’s important to catch it early. The disease takes approximately 80,000 lives a year in the U.S. alone.

Editor’s note: The Telluride Medical Center is the only 24-hour emergency facility within 65 miles. You can choose your own medical provider visit with a specialist or take advantage of their Mountain Skin Care services. As a mountain town in a challenging, remote environment, a thriving medical center is vital to our community’s health. For more Medical Moments on TIO, Click Here.