“I pushed to have something done and was referred to a dermatologist,” says Courtney, who adds that it can be difficult to tell by sight whether a mole is cancerous. In her case, even the dermatologist wasn't sure about the diagnosis until a biopsy confirmed she had basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer.
“I remember feeling overwhelmed when I got the call,” says Courtney, who now has her own family practice in Revelstoke, B.C. “I kept thinking to myself, I'm only 26, how can I have cancer?”
Fortunately her treatment consisted of a simple surgical removal of the mole, followed by regular visits with the dermatologist for a few years. Since having her mole removed, her health has been good. Courtney does dress more carefully now to protect her skin; she wears an extra layer to protect her back when she swims, and hats and high SPF sunscreen are her new best friends.
When younger isn't better
There was a time when the type of skin cancer that struck Courtney was only seen in people over 50 years old, but now it's appearing with alarming regularity among those in younger age groups, including teens. A 2005 report from the Mayo Clinic in the United States warns that these cancers have increased significantly among young people over the past three decades, and it blames long-term or intense sun exposure and the use of tanning beds as key culprits.
Overall, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer diagnosed today; the incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancers has doubled in the past 20 years. One in seven Canadians is expected to get skin cancer in his or her lifetime. Last year 900 of the 4,600 Canadians diagnosed with malignant melanoma died from this aggressive form of skin cancer. Another 69,000 were diagnosed with the more treatable basal cell and squamous cell nonmelanomas.
Canadians aren't listening
Despite years of health warnings stressing the link between sun exposure and skin cancer, Canadians don't seem to be getting the message. “It's just not sinking in,” says Dr. Jason Rivers, a clinical professor of dermatology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and medical director at Pacific Dermaesthetics. “Young people especially don't think skin cancer is going to happen to them,” he says. “Even though people know the hazards, there's a disconnect between their knowledge and behaviour.”
Why are we still baking in the sun despite the risks? Being in the sun releases endorphins -- brain chemicals that make us feel good. Some of us have a burning desire for a sun-kissed tan. Many kids and adults enjoy outdoor activities such as baseball or swimming, but often don't protect themselves properly. Plus, exposure to UV rays has delayed effects: those hours you spend playing outdoors or tanning as a teen might not affect you for decades and can lull young people into a sense of invulnerability.
“The bottom line is that we're still getting too much sun exposure; 50 per cent of Canadians had a sunburn in the past year,” says Rivers. He has seen firsthand the ravages of skin cancer, from people in their 20s dying of malignant melanoma to those with basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma who have lost noses, eyes and ears to the disease.
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