How Much Do You Know About Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, but in most cases it can be prevented. In addition, early detection and treatment can make a difference.

Take this multiple choice quiz with six questions to see how much you know about skin cancer. Read the question and select one answer. You will find out if you answer is correct or incorrect. Information about health risks and healthy choices will be provided.

What statistics accurately reflect skin cancer?

	Cancer of the skin is the most common of all cancers in the United States.
	Most skin cancers appear after age 50, but skin damage from the sun begins at an early age.
	Melanoma represents only 4 percent of all skin cancers in the US, but accounts for more than 75 percent of all skin cancer deaths.
	All of the Above.

Correct.

All of the answers are correct according to the latest statistics available from the American Cancer Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 1 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed in the US each year. And, melanoma is expected to be diagnosed in over 62,000 persons this year.

Incorrect.

Who should be most careful in the sun?

	Persons with fair skin, or blond, red, or light brown hair.
	Persons living or vacationing at high altitudes.
	Persons with many moles, irregularly shaped moles, or large moles.
	All of the Above.

Correct.

Extra care should be taken by all of the individuals described. Others at higher risk for sunburns and possibly skin cancer include individuals who have freckles and burn before tanning, or who live or vacation in tropical or subtropical climates. In addition, individuals who have had an organ transplant, or others who may be taking certain medications, such as tetracycline or sulfa drugs, are more at risk.

Incorrect.

What is the best way to avoid harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun?

	Prepare for sunbathing by tanning at a tanning parlor first.
	Apply sunscreen at the beginning of the day to prevent sunburn.
	Apply sunscreen, wear a broad-brimmed hat, and stay out of sun during midday hours.
	All of the Above.

Correct.

Actually, tanning at a tanning parlor is a risk factor for skin cancer. Sunscreens are useful in reducing the risk of skin cancer, but they must be applied regularly during extended stays in the sun. Wearing a hat and clothing to cover your skin, using a sunscreen with an SPF rating of 15 or higher, and staying out of the midday sun is the most helpful protection.

Incorrect.

In addition to the sun, what is considered a risk factor for skin cancer?

	Family history
	Multiple moles or atypical moles
	Scars from disease or burns
	All of the Above

Correct.

A risk factor is anything that may increase a person’s chance of developing a disease. Knowing your risk factors for skin cancer can help guide you into the appropriate actions to prevent the disease. In addition to the sun as a risk factor for skin cancer, individuals with a family history of skin cancer, those with multiple moles, those with exposure to materials including arsenic and coal, and those who have scars from burns and disease are at a higher risk.

Incorrect.

What skin cancer(s) is/are considered the most serious, and can spread to other areas of the body?

	Basal cell, non-melanoma skin cancer
	Squamous cell, non-melanoma skin cancer
	Melanoma skin cancer
	All of the Above

Correct.

Most skin cancers are non-melanoma, and occur in the basal or squamous cells. Most of these skin cancers develop on sun-exposed areas, such as the face, ear, neck, lips, and the backs of hands, and they rarely spread to other parts of the body. Melanoma begins in the melanocytes, the cells that produce the skin coloring known as melanin. Melanoma is usually curable in its early stages, but is far more dangerous than other skin cancers and causes the majority of skin cancer deaths.

Incorrect.

What are the signs and symptoms of skin cancer?

	Any sore that does not heal.
	A change in the color of a mole or darkly pigmented growth, including a scaliness, oozing, or bleeding, or a new growth.
	A change in sensation - itchiness, tenderness, or pain.
	All of the Above.

Correct.

You should check your skin monthly, and be alert to changes in the number, size, shape, or color of spots on your skin or sores that do not heal. The American Cancer Society says use the ABCD rule for early detection of melanoma: A for asymmetry (sides of a mole are not matching), B for border (edges are irregular, notched, or blurred), C for color (differing shades), and D for diameter (larger than one-fourth inch).

Incorrect.

You answered out of 6 questions correctly.

Remember that skin cancer strikes more people worldwide than any other form of cancer. In the United States alone, one million people will be diagnosed with the disease this year.

Although there are many contributing factors, such as heredity and environment, sunburn and ultraviolet (UV) light damage to the skin are considered the greatest risk factor. Most people receive 50 percent of their lifetime UV exposure by age 20.

Incorporate your knowledge regarding skin cancer into a healthy lifestyle. Examine those skin cancer risk factors that apply to you and take steps to eliminate or reduce the risks.