Men Over 40 Need Skin Cancer Screening

Men over the age of 40 account for more than half of melanoma cancer deaths in the US. Doctors attribute this to lack of education and reluctance to see a doctor, who could identify potential skin cancer. Melanoma is becoming more common in men over the age of 50. Melanoma is one of the rarest forms of skin cancer but also the deadliest. 5 percent of all skin cancers are diagnosed as melanomas.

Dr. Susan Swetter of Stanford University Medical Center was part of a research team that completed a study on melanoma. Swetter and her team surveyed 227 patients over the age of 40 who had been diagnosed with melanoma between 2004 and 2006. The surveys were taken within three months of their diagnosis. The surveys revealed that only 20 percent of the people surveyed were aware of the warning signs associated with melanoma. Only half of the patients regularly checked their skin for signs of skin cancer. 25 percent of the men surveyed had thick, tumors that are more difficult to treat. The men who had smaller tumors were more aware of skin cancer and were sought a doctor’s attention.

Alan Geller of Harvard reviewed the research and noticed another alarming trend. More than half of the people treated for melanoma were 65 or older. He attributes this higher number of older people seeking melanoma treatment to the government funded Medicare program. He also noted that most melanoma cases are found on a person’s back. The study has been published in the Archives of Dermatology.