Stony Brook Hospital Auxiliary Members Encourage Sun Safety

Stony Brook University Hospital Auxiliary members ventured to West Meadow Beach to educate beach goers about sun protection and skin cancer prevention on Saturday, June 28.

SBUH Auxiliary members gave out over 150 ‘goodie bags’ containing free tubs of sunscreen and an informational brochure courtesy of the Department of Dermatology at the Stony Brook University School of Medicine. 

Despite an increasing awareness of the risk of ultraviolet exposure, skin cancer is on the rise, according to medical professionals. Over 3.5 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancers are diagnosed each year in the U.S. and approximately one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, according to a recent American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) report.

For the past 30 years, melanoma incidence rates have been increasing. According to American Cancer Society figures, from 2006 to 2010 the rate increased 2.7 percent in Caucasians.

Melanoma, a form of skin cancer that metastasizes and spreads to other organs, is the most common form of cancer among young adults aged 25 to 29, according to a report from the National Cancer Institute in 2007. Early detection is important for a promising recovery. Annual, full-body exams are the best way to circumvent melanoma and late-stage skin cancer, but biopsies and less-invasive treatment are other viable options.