News

Back to News

As the Sun Begins to Shine…Be Aware!

Annette Bjornstad is a self-proclaimed “sun goddess.” If there is a ray of sunshine, she will find it. “I love it, being in the sun. My favorite days are 95 to 100 degrees. Just being out gardening, boating, whatever,” says Annette.

Against much protest from her mother, Annette started her sun addiction when she was about 14. She says much of it was the fact that she grew up on a farm, and didn’t have much of a choice when work was outdoors. As the years passed, she soaked up as many rays as she could– including visits to tanning booths.

At age twenty-nine she found a raised lump on her right arm. Eventually it began to itch. She knew this couldn’t be good, as her dad had been dealing with skin cancer for years, and she remembered his symptoms well. Annette made an appointment with her dermatologist who told her it needed to be removed right away.

“She took it off, but a couple days later she called me to let me know it had already spread,” says Annette. “She didn’t get it all, and needed to see me again. They opened me back up and with the second try she did get it all.”

The section that was removed was basal cell carcinoma. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation (www.skincancer.org), this is the most common form of skin cancer. It affects 800,000 Americans each year. Research says it won’t spread inside to bodily organs, but will be topically destructive and just continue to spread. It was a scary time for Annette.

“It was the big ‘C’ word. The word cancer, and my mom had told me so many times that I’d be paying for all of those years in the sun. I remember the call to mom and dad and being scared to death…that this is growing on me.”

Since then, Annette has also had squamous cell carcinoma. It is usually confined to the epidermis, but eventually it will penetrate to underlying tissues, and possibly organs, if not treated early.

So far, she has never been diagnosed with the final and most dangerous type of skin cancer– melanoma. The Skin Cancer Foundation says once the cancer advances and spreads to other parts of the body, it is hard to treat and can be deadly. During the past 10 years the number of cases of melanoma has increased more rapidly than that of any other cancer. More than 51,000 new cases are reported to the American Cancer Society each year, and it is probable that a great many more occur and are not reported.

Joseph Luger, MD, Dermatologist for Mid Dakota Clinic, says that skin cancer is a prevalent problem in our area. “Definitely. I literally see skin cancers every day.”

All-totaled, Annette has had 24 moles removed. Fifteen of them have been cancer. For the most part, she’s no longer afraid. It’s become a serious part of life. “I usually do a body check at least once a week, and go to the dermatologist twice a year for a professional check-up. Now it’s a part of life. As long as I hear the words ‘we got it all,’ I’m okay and know it’s just something that I have to do.”

The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that everyone check their body thoroughly at least every three months. Heredity plays a major role in skin cancer risk. About one of every ten patients diagnosed has a family member with a history of the disease. Since Annette’s dad had been dealing with skin cancer, she knew what to look for. Here are the “ABCDs” of skin cancer.

“A” is asymmetry. Common moles are round and symmetrical. If the mole is odd shaped, it could be an indicator.

“B” is border. Skin cancers, when you look at them closely, may have uneven borders around them.

“C” is color. Watch for varied shades of brown, tan or black and also red, white and blue.

“D” is diameter. If a spot is larger than a pencil eraser (6mm or 1/4″ diameter) it could be trouble.

Many people wonder if age plays a role in skin cancer. Dr. Luger says people need to pay attention at all ages. “Most skin cancers seem to be from the 50 year age group on up,” he says, “but any time there is a non-healing area they should get it checked out.”

Although it isn’t likely that children will develop skin cancer, damage that begins to skin at that age could mean trouble down the road. As for Annette, she still loves the sun, but takes more precautions these days. While she never wore anything higher than an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) 4 sun block during her “sun goddess” days, she now keeps much higher SPF lotions on hand. She says that skin cancer is no joke, and she knows people who have died from it because they waited too long to do something about it.

Other precautions that The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends are:

• Do not sunbathe.

• Avoid unnecessary sun exposure, especially between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., the peak hours for harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

• When outdoors, use sunscreens rated SPF 15 or higher. Apply them liberally, uniformly, and frequently.

• When exposed to sunlight, wear protective clothing such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts, broad-brimmed hats, and UV-protective sunglasses.

• Stay away from artificial tanning devices.

• Teach your children good sun protection habits at an early age: The damage that leads to adult skin cancers starts in childhood.

• Examine your skin head to toe at least once every three months.

The biggest recommendation by experts, as well as those who have been through it, is to take action quickly. “If you have any doubt, any question at all, go to the doctor,” says Annette. “The best phone call you can possibly get is one that says, ‘no…it’s fine.’” For more information, visit www.skincancer.org.

Back to News
Scroll to Top