BY MISTY MILIOTO
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer — the most common cancer in the United States and worldwide — by the age of 70. Basal and squamous cell carcinomas are the most prevalent (but less aggressive) types, while melanoma is the most dangerous form with about 8,000 deaths annually in the United States. However, when detected early, the five-year survival rate for melanoma is 99%.
Dr. Mark Gimbel, surgical oncologist with Arizona’s Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center and medical director of the T.W. Lewis Melanoma Center of Excellence, says that skin cancer historically affects patients ages 50 and older.
“It takes chronic exposure to UV radiation to have the skin cells mutate and make cancer,” he says.
“However, if children have blistering sunburns or tanning beds were used in adolescents or young adults, melanoma can occur much earlier. It is one of the [most] common cancers in people between 20 and 39 years old.”
While signs of skin cancer depend on the type, Dr. Gimbel says that there are some guidelines to follow.
“For squamous cell and basal cell cancer, a non-healing scaly patch or a waxy pearly nodule that arises are early forms,” he says. “For melanoma, if a mole starts to change or if a new pigmented lesion arises, these are concerning findings.”
Dr. Gimbel recommends seeing a dermatologist if your primary care physician does not offer a comprehensive skin evaluation, recommending a dermatologist visit once per year if you have no history of skin cancer, two to three times a year if you have a personal history of skin cancer, and four times for those with melanomas.
FINDING SUPPORT
Julie Dunnigan, who joined Cancer Support Community Arizona (CSCA) two years ago after her own journey with cancer, cites a statistic from the American Cancer Society when she says that Arizona has a higher rate of skin cancer diagnoses (including melanoma) than the rest of the country — by almost double.
“Arizona’s UV index tends to be higher than in other states … and exposure to UV light is by far the biggest risk factor for skin cancer, especially melanoma,” she says. “There are an average of 2,552 new cases of melanoma in Arizona each year — a trend that is rising.”
As Arizona’s only full-spectrum emotional and social cancer support community, CSCA provides lifelong, no-cost, evidence-based programs that improve outcomes, lower costs, and ensure that no one faces cancer alone. The programs are available to patients, survivors, caregivers, and family members of those with cancer, at any stage and with any diagnosis.
CSCA serves more than 2,000 individuals impacted by cancer each year and offers more than 100 free and professionally led programs per month, including bilingual support groups, cancer resource navigation, healthy lifestyle classes, nutrition education, expressive arts, and youth and family programming. For more information, visit www.cscaz.org.
A STORY OF HOPE & HEALING
An Arizona-based sound healer and conscious leadership coach, Samantha Harper is a three-time skin cancer survivor. Looking back on her journey, she says that it was her intuition that saved her life.
“In the beginning, there were no obvious physical symptoms,” she says. “It was simply a deep, unwavering knowing that something in my body was off. I went to my doctor, requested a full workup and firmly advocated for the tests I felt were necessary.”
Around the same time, she noticed a new mole and immediately knew that something wasn’t right. She received her first skin cancer diagnosis at the age of 20— stage 3C malignant melanoma. Ten years later, she was diagnosed again and then just one month later, a third cancer diagnosis was rendered.
She had back-to-back surgeries and the physical toll was difficult — Harper was beginning to lose hope.
“It felt like my body was betraying me, no matter how hard I fought or how closely I listened,” she says. “After surgery and treatment, I shifted into survival mode,” she says. “By the time I got to my second and third cancer diagnosis, I had a lot more to lose. I knew I had to dig really deep and fight for my life.”
Harper used movement to create a feeling of safety in her body, and expressive art therapy to process her feelings. Harper also credits a supportive community with her healing. This September marks another 10 years of being cancer free and five years of being out of remission.
“It’s been a 20-year journey, and I am healthier than ever,” Harper says. “I live very connected to the present moment.”
Harper’s best advice for those who are currently battling skin cancer is to trust that full recovery is possible.
“Your body is not trying to kill you,” she says. “Your body has given you symptoms as warning signs to fight and stay alive. Get a team of doctors you trust; ask all the questions you need to find clarity and peace; and dig deep to keep fighting to tell your success story.”
