Date of News Release: Friday, April 13, 2007

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, skin cancer is now the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than one million cases of skin cancers occur annually in the U.S. One in five people will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Five

or more sunburns doubles your risk of developing skin cancer.

There are three types of skin cancer: basal cell, squamous cell and melanoma. Actinic keratosis is a pre-cancerous skin condition frequently found in farmers. It appears as small, scaly spots commonly found on the face, ears, lower arms and back of the hands. During the skin cancer screenings done by NYCAMH at the

2003 Empire Farm Days, 34% of those screened were referred for further evaluation and treatment; 16% of these individuals had actinic keratosis.

NYCAMH will once again offer free skin cancer screening at Empire Farm Days in Seneca Falls, New York, on August 7, 8 & 9 in the Agricultural Safety & Health Center.

Of course farming and sun exposure go hand in hand, so NYCAMH encourages you to take care of your skin and to reduce the harmful effects of the sun. Here’s how you can protect your skin:

1) Use a tractor with a cab or sun shade whenever possible.

2) Use sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Sunscreen should be re-applied every few hours regardless of whether it is waterproof or not.

3) Cover your skin with light colored clothing.

4) Wear a hat with a brim of at least 3 inches. Baseball caps do not protect your neck or ears, places where skin cancers often develop.

5) Use sunglasses with UVA/UVB protection.

6) Check yourself for skin cancer on a regular basis. Look at your face, nose, ears, neck, arms and back (using a mirror) before or after a shower. If you see a change in a mole or a new growth appears, visit a doctor to have it checked.

Remember sun safety, like any other safety measure, is designed to help you protect yourself. We hope to see you at our NYCAMH skin cancer screening this summer at Empire Farm Days, August 7, 8 & 9!

For questions or more information, please contact Arleen H. Clark, RN, COHN-S at 1-800-343-7527.