Prevention & Early Detection

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Avoid Exposure to the Sun

The best way to prevent skin cancer is to protect yourself and your family from excessive exposure to sunlight -- and not only when you go to the beach. Skin cancer prevention should be practiced every day by wearing protective clothing, avoiding the midday sun, and using broad-spectrum sunscreen (one that protects against UVA and UVB rays), even on cloudy days.

Screening

Basal cell carcinoma can almost always be cured if detected early. Doctors at Memorial Sloan-Kettering do not recommend regular screening for non-melanoma skin cancer. However, any suspected skin cancer should be brought to the attention of a dermatologist immediately. Diagnosing and treating basal cell carcinoma as early as possible minimizes the risk of serious cosmetic damage.

During a skin examination, the doctor will look at new growths, spots, or bumps on the patient's skin to determine whether they might be cancerous or precancerous. After the examination, the doctor will show the patient how to examine his or her own skin and determine whether any growths have changed in appearance. Patients may want to pay particular attention to moles that have an asymmetrical shape, an uneven border, more than one color, or appear to be growing.

To learn more, visit our Screening Guidelines for skin cancers.