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SALT LAKE CITY — Doctors across the nation are seeing more cases of skin cancer in children.
At the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, researchers are trying to discover what genetic components could be associated with childhood skin cancer, which is still a rare occurrence.
Dr. Sansy Leachman says until that genetic reasoning is found, parents must be the main advocates for their children's skin and should check it often for any changes.
Related:
Rates of skin cancer in children increasing
For Melissa Cummins, the news that her 11-year-old son had skin cancer was a shock."Just that awareness is the most powerful thing a parent can give their child," Dr. Leachman said. "Just that modeling, just doing that is one of the best things you can do for a child, so they realize that this is an important thing and they should be paying attention to that."
Nationally, some doctors say 10 years ago, they never saw skin cancer in a child. Now, they sees a few cases a year. Dr. Leachman says it's hard to pinpoint numbers on ages when it comes to skin cancer.
She says contributing factors may be that more, younger women are tanning at salons now than in years past. And children are not as covered up as they used to be. She recommends long sleeves, pants and hats in the sun, as well as sunscreen.
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"Clothing may be a better option than sunscreen," she said. "Anyplace you can cover with clothing, you don't have to reapply and it doesn't wash off. It's easier to keep it on. Sunscreen is a great adjunct. It's something you put on in the places you can't keep covered, but it doesn't keep you fully covered the way that clothing does."
Dr. Leachman says dermatologists are now recommending more clothing, hats and sunglasses for kids.
She said Utah is routinely at the top of the list of states with skin cancer incidence rates.
She encourages parents to be aware that high altitude, high number of sunny days, and a large fair-skinned population all mean more risks for getting skin cancer in Utah.
