THE SKINNY ON SKIN CANCER

Dr. Janine Hopkins talks to BayouLife Magazine about skin cancer prevention, awareness and treatment

ARTICLE BY STARLA GATSON

WHETHER ONE SIMPLY forgot to put the bottle of Banana Boat in the beach bag or decided to forego applying the lotion in pursuit of the perfect tan, skimping on sunscreen “just this once” is a common habit many deem as no big deal. But as time goes on and each “just this once” begins to add up, how much damage is lack of sun protection really doing to the skin? According to Dr. Janine Hopkins, the harm is much more than many may realize.

According to Hopkins, a board-certified dermatologist who has served the Monroe area for over 20 years, making proper sun safety a priority, especially among children, is absolutely crucial. “It’s real important for parents to understand the importance of protecting their children from sunburns and sun exposure because the sun they’re getting in their childhood, their adolescence, and in their teenage years is going to be what gives them trouble in their adulthood,” she explains.

The trouble to which she refers are varying types of skin cancer. Skin cancer, the most common cancer worldwide, occurs in three major forms: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Hopkins says patients often visit her office with what they believe to be acne or an insect bite, but in many cases, after careful inspection, what is thought to be a harmless blemish raises a red flag or two. “Patients need to come in and be prepared to get in a gown, and I check them head to toe,” Hopkins says. “I’m looking for things they would never really be aware of because sometimes, these melanomas are quite sneaky.”

Most commonly in the United States, patients are diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, which usually appears as a shiny, pimple-like blemish that does not heal over time. “We’re typically going to see that in sun-exposed areas — people who’ve had a lot of chronic sun exposure dating back to childhood and into their adulthood as well,” explains Hopkins. The second most commonly occurring skin cancer is squamous cell carcinoma, which is typically caused by excess contact with ultraviolet rays, both from the sun and indoor tanning. Melanoma ranks as the third most prevalent, Hopkins says, but it is the most aggressive form of the disease as it is more likely to spread than the carcinomas. “If a melanoma develops and it gets into the second layer of the skin, if it gets into lymphatics or blood vessels, it can easily migrate or spread to other places in the body because it wasn’t originally from the skin anyway.”

Skin cancer treatment depends on the type of cancer and the severity of each case. If caught early, Hopkins says, the cancer can be removed through a simple procedure like electrodessication and curettage, where “we basically just scrape it, cauterize it, to remove it off the outer layer of the skin.” Topical chemotherapy or immunotherapy creams are also available for superficial cancers or precancerous lesions.

For more aggressive cases, surgical excision has been the standard method of care, but now, a nonsurgical option of treatment called image guided superficial radiation therapy has become more readily available to patients. In collaboration with SkinCure Oncology, Hopkins has recently launched this method at her practice to allow patients who wish to avoid scarring or are poor candidates for surgery to be treated effectively. The treatment uses ultrasound technology to detect the severity of the cancer and calculate the correct doses of radiation necessary to treat it. The cure rate of the radiation therapy is 95 percent or higher, which is equivalent to that of the Mohs surgery, the gold standard for non-melanoma skin cancers.

While skin cancer treatment has evolved thanks to modern technology, the ultimate goal is prevention. Those with fair complexions or a family history of the disease are at a higher risk, but anyone is susceptible to developing skin cancer. The likelihood of skin cancer occurring, however, can be reduced when proper skin health and sun safety habits are formed starting at an early age, Hopkins says. “A lot of times, by the time people start getting educated on sun safety or their skin health, the damage is already there. And it’s daily in my practice where people just wish they could go back and tell their young self, ‘Wear sunscreen; don’t get sunburned.’”

When it comes to skin cancer prevention, knowledge is indeed power. But that knowledge must be applied practically, and a conscious effort to shield the skin must be made. Reducing exposure to ultraviolet rays by seeking shaded areas when outside, especially between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., and avoiding indoor tanning is an easy way to keep skin healthy and lowers the chances of developing skin cancer in the future, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Medical professionals also recommend using a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher on a daily basis. However, it is important to make note of proper sunscreen application techniques. “We tell patients of course to wear sunscreen, but the problem with that is they sweat it off after an hour and a half and they don’t reapply; or they don’t put it on thirty minutes before they even go outside. So, sunscreen is important, but proper use of sunscreen really needs to be stressed as far as how to apply it,” Hopkins says. In addition to using sunscreen, it is advised to wear sun protecting clothing or wide-brimmed hats to block the skin from direct sunlight.

The Skin Cancer Foundation also suggests visiting a dermatologist at least once a year for a professional skin examination. Self-checks should also be performed each month, checking the scalp, hands and arms, legs and feet, torso, and back for new, changing, or unusual activity, including growths, moles or birthmarks that increase in size or change color and texture, spots that itch or hurt, and open sores that have not healed within three weeks.

Though the cooler winter months are here, the scorching Louisiana heat will be back in the blink of an eye, and as the hot sun begins to peek through the clouds once more, be certain to make proper skin protection a priority, and one’s future self will be grateful.