Exploring the Role of the Nurse in Skin Cancer Prevention

CDC categorizes skin cancer as an epidemic (Hatmaker, 2003). There are three types of skin cancer: basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma (CDC, 2008a). The percentage of people who are diagnosed with melanoma has doubled in the past 30 years (CDC, 2008a). Melanoma is the deadliest skin cancer and is preventable, since 90% of melanomas are caused by ultraviolet (UV) light or sunlight (CDC, 2008a). UV light is a known carcinogen (Melanoma Education Foundation, 2008). Patient education plays a key role in preventing skin cancer (Guill & Orengo, 2001). To detect skin cancer in its early, treatable stages, patients need to learn prevention and detection methods, including protecting skin from UV rays and screening for cancer. An analogy put forth by the Melanoma Education Foundation (2008) is that tanning lamps are to skin cancer as cigarettes are to lung cancer. In addition to avoiding intentional tanning, either by solar radiation or indoor tanning using UV radiation, patients need to take an active role in monitoring their skin for changes. They need to learn to do a full skin self-exam every month, be checked annually by a health care provider, and have suspicious lesions evaluated (Guill & Orengo, 2001). In addition, patients must know to avoid exposure to the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., use sunscreen with a minimum sun protection factor of 15, and wear protective clothing and sunglasses (Guill & Orengo, 2001). Several factors have contributed to the increase in skin cancer, including the depletion of the ozone layer, change in leisure activities, and the perception of a tanned look as attractive (Schober-Flores, 2001). Having a tan is considered desirable, beautiful, and healthy (Bozarth, 2000). This is especially true among young women, who think having a tan looks attractive and healthy (Lamanna, 2003). In a study conducted by Lamanna, 224 college students were surveyed regarding their perceived risk of developing skin cancer. Three factors were involved in the subjects’ sunbathing practices: gender, perceived risk, and perceived susceptibility. Women were more knowledgeable, yet they engaged in more high-risk behaviors because they perceived acquiring suntans made them look more attractive and athletic. Therefore, the desire for attractiveness outweighed the perceived risks. The recommendations of this research were that interventions should focus on education about the dangers of sun tanning to health (Lamanna, 2003). A nurse educator must understand the perception of different racial and ethnic groups in relation to skin cancer, and this information needs to be included in the education of student nurses. The incidence of skin cancer in Caucasians is 20%, Hispanics 4.3%, and 1% in Black persons (Hu, Soza-Vento, Parker, & Kirsner, 2006). Everyone can get skin cancer; no one is exempt. People of all races and colors can get skin cancer and knowing what it T he most common form of cancer in the United States is skin cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Pre ven tion [CDC], 2008a). More than 1 million cases are diagnosed each year in this country (American Academy of Dermatology [AAD], 2008; Lillis, 2006), and it is estimated that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime (AAD, 2008). An estimate of the number of persons diagnosed with melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer) in 2008 is 116,500 (AAD, 2008). Further, it is estimated that 8,420 people died from mela noma in 2008 (AAD, 2008). The