Skin
Monitoring
Sun Safety:
Survivors of Childhood cancer should have long term follow up care of their skin. It is especially important that the damage from previous therapy is not compounded by exposure to excess UV exposure1.
General sun safety measures include:
- Sun safe clothing such as wide-brimmed hats, long sleeved shirts and long trousers
- Use of sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB
- Reducing exposure to high UV radiation by changing time of day in which exposure occurs
Links about sun safety precautions:
See also the health information video: "Dear 16 year old me"
Screening for Melanoma:
Childhood cancer survivors are at increased risk for the development of melanomas and should have screening.
Link: Melanoma at PubMed Health
Any change in appearance of a pigmented skin sore over time (increase in size, development of nodularity, bleeding, itching, change in color) may be due to the development of melanoma.
The ABCD system is used to remember features that might be symptoms of melanoma:
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Asymmetry: One half of the abnormal area is different from the other half.
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Borders: The lesion or growth has irregular edges.
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Color: Color changes from one area to another, with shades of tan, brown, or black (sometimes white, red, or blue). A mixture of colors may appear within one sore.
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Diameter: The trouble spot is usually (but not always) larger than 6 mm in diameter -- about the size of a pencil eraser.
Early recognition of melanoma is critical and any of the above changes should prompt an initial excisional biopsy.
Self-examinations should be performed monthly, and for patients at risk a formal skin exam should be scheduled with a dermatologist yearly.
Other resources:
COG Survivorship guidelines: Skin health after treatment for Childhood cancer
