Melanoma is the most dangerous and aggressive form of skin cancer. If melanoma is caught early, the five-year survival rate is 98 percent. The survival rate drops to 62 percent if the disease reaches the lymph nodes, and 18 percent when melanoma metastasizes to distant organs. The more common skin cancers, basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas, have high cure rates, but they can become disfiguring and eventually life threatening if not caught early.The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends an annual skin check with a board-certified dermatologist and
monthly self-skin exams to help catch skin cancer early. It may be recommended to those with a history of skin cancer and those with many moles to do self-exams more frequent than a month. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends having a trusted friend or loved one help with the skin exam since some spots could be hard to see even with the use of mirrors. Wearing sunscreen daily,
frequent self-exams, and annual skin checks help keep yours safe from the world’s most common cancer.
