– Ultraviolet radiation is as dangerous or even more dangerous than tobacco smoke when it comes to causing cancer – warns prof. Piotr Rutkowski from the Oncology Center in Warsaw. At the same time, it is known that thanks to being in the sun, our body produces vitamin D, which is deficient in 90 percent of Poles. How long tanning time do we need and safe?
- Melanoma is diagnosed annually by 40-50 thousand. Poles. Every seventh Pole does not pay attention to the marks on his skin at all, and nearly half are convinced that they do not have any that should be monitored.
- Although this cancer is more and more often detectable, it has recently turned out that it has the most genetic disorders among all cancers in general.
- – Ultraviolet radiation is as dangerous or even more dangerous than tobacco smoke when it comes to causing cancer – says prof. Piotr Rutkowski, head of the Department of Tumors of Soft Tissues, Bones and Melanomas at the Warsaw Oncology Center
- The number of melanoma cases among adolescents is growing the fastest. Experts agree that the probability that they will develop this type of cancer may be up to 75 percent. Several months ago, the Sejm received a draft prepared by the Chancellery of the President, prohibiting the use of sunbeds by minors
- Being in the sun is necessary, however, because thanks to this our body produces vitamin D. – The sun is healthy, provided that it does not cause reddening of the skin. It is enough to stay in the sun for 10 minutes to produce the right amount of vitamin D. On the beach, it is better to protect your skin by applying sunscreen on it, which should be repeated after each entry into the water, and then it is worth wearing a hat and a T-shirt – advises prof. Rutkowski.
It is estimated that in Poland there are 40-50 thousand people annually. cases of various skin cancers and 3,5-4 thousand. cases of melanomas, the most dangerous skin cancers. Fortunately, they are increasingly detected early. Unfortunately, melanomas were recently discovered to have the most genetic abnormalities of any cancer in general. Lung cancer is right behind them. What does it mean?
– The fact that ultraviolet radiation is just as dangerous or even more dangerous than tobacco smoke when it comes to causing cancer – says prof. Piotr Rutkowski, head of the Department of Tumors of Soft Tissues, Bones and Czerniakow at the Oncology Center in Warsaw, in an interview with PAP. According to the specialist, the confirmation is that in adults the rate of skin cancer incidence is higher than that of all other cancers. We can even speak of an explosion in skin cancer incidence.
In an interview with MedTvoiLokony, the specialist said: – Unfortunately, in Poland 30 percent. patients begin therapy in an advanced stage of the disease. If melanoma had been diagnosed and treated early, the mortality rate from this cancer would have been much lower. However, in the late stages, the average survival time is only 6 months, with a one-year mortality rate of 75%, making melanoma one of the most aggressive cancers.
Adolescents most exposed to melanoma
The research carried out by TNS OBOP shows that every seventh Pole does not pay attention to the marks on his skin at all, and nearly half are convinced that they do not have any that should be monitored.
– Meanwhile, a dangerous birthmark can appear on any skin at any time. If we want to give ourselves a chance, we should be more vigilant. You need to watch your body and know what birthmarks we already have. Then we can easily notice new ones – added prof. Rutkowski.
Teenagers and young adults care about a strong tan. A few months ago, the Sejm submitted a draft prepared by the Chancellery of the President, prohibiting the use of the solarium by people who are not yet 18 years old. For years, the Ombudsman for Children and doctors have been calling for restrictions on the use of tanning beds by teenagers.
And it is in this group that the number of cases of melanoma is growing the fastest. Experts agree that the probability that they will develop this type of cancer may be up to 75 percent.
Most melanomas and other skin cancers are associated with the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation, i.e. sun and tanning beds. If we carelessly expose ourselves to overexposure to this radiation, we increase the risk of skin damage.
How to sunbathe safely?
Prof. Rutkowski emphasizes that oncologists are not against the sun, they are only against excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
– The sun is healthy as long as it does not make the skin red. It is enough to stay in the sun for 10 minutes to produce the right amount of vitamin D. On the beach, it is better to protect your skin by applying sunscreen on it, which should be repeated after each entry into the water, and then it is worth wearing a hat and a T-shirt – advises prof. Rutkowski.
In summer, we have enough sun to stay healthy as we go outside, play sports and go for walks more often. Therefore, when the sun is shining, e.g. while running, playing tennis or volleyball, it is worth wearing a cap and a T-shirt.
Sun protection
First of all, avoid reddening of the skin as it is a protective reaction and not a positive symptom resulting from a tan. – The skin protects itself against ultraviolet radiation by tanning. Poles have light skin, the so-called the first or second phototype, one that is difficult to sunbathe, but easily burns in the sun. None of us knows what our individual susceptibility to UV radiation is, which can lead to skin cancer – emphasizes prof. Rutkowski.
In summer, it is best to stay in the sun as little as possible from 10am to 16pm, when the UV radiation is at its strongest. – In the winter months, some people additionally add ultraviolet radiation to their skin, because they go to warm countries or go to solariums where there is no safe dose of UV radiation at all. I think that the fashion for sunbathing in solariums will disappear soon, because in most countries they are eliminated – adds the oncologist. A positive phenomenon is that we pay more and more attention to the appearance of the skin: whether something new, disturbing has appeared on it, and if there has already been a change, whether it has increased or changed color. Such a regular skin check-up, e.g. once a month, can save our lives, because a skin cancer that is detected early – even melanoma – is almost fully curable.
Early skin melanoma is very easy to heal by simple surgical excision of the lesion along with a wide margin of surrounding tissue. In the case of larger melanomas, more than 1 mm thick (deep into the skin), a biopsy of the lymph nodes closest to the tumor is performed. If there are neoplastic cells in the collected nodes, it is necessary to completely excise them and start systemic treatment. In advanced stages of melanoma, various methods of treatment are used: chemotherapy, radiotherapy, the so-called targeted therapy, but the greatest hopes of oncologists and patients are related to immunotherapy, which consists in stimulating the patient’s immune system to fight cancer cells.
– If you notice a suspicious lesion, see an oncological surgeon or a dermatologist as soon as possible. We are able to non-invasively assess whether the change is disturbing and only then remove it. We do not eliminate all the changes that have appeared on the skin – emphasizes prof. Rutkowski.
The fashion for a tan has been in the last 100 years, in the past, white skin was synonymous with health and higher social status. Maybe in this matter it is worth becoming a snob?
Source: PAP, MedTvoiLokony