HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – With summer heat already scorching Arkansas, there are precautions you can take to help prevent a melanoma, a dangerous type of skin cancer and the leading cause of death from skin disease.
“Early detection is the key. That’s why people with a high risk need to see a dermatologist from time to time. If you detect it early, you can prevent the spreading of it,” said Dr. P.K. Reddy, medical oncologist at the Mercy Cancer Center in Hot Springs, Ark.
When people spend time in sunlight, cells called melanocytes make more of a skin pigment called melanin. This causes the skin to tan. But if the skin receives too much ultraviolet light, the melanocytes may begin to grow abnormally and become cancerous, a condition referred to as a melanoma.
