TULSA, Okla. — Dr. Johnathan J. Ledet with the Saint Francis Warren Clinic said skin cancer is one of the most common forms in the U.S., but it is preventable and treatable.
He said in any given year there are more than 3.5 million skin cancers diagnosed. They range from the most common type, basal cell carcinoma, to melanoma, which is the deadliest.
Ledet said 90 percent of these start from the sun’s harmful rays or tanning beds.
“I think one of the biggest misconceptions about skin cancer is that it is not dangerous,” he said. “Patients often say, ‘Well it’s just a skin cancer, it’s not a big deal,’ but they fail to realize that skin cancer is locally destructive.”
He said the longer you wait, the more destructive your cancer will be.
“Skin cancer progression starts when you have a spot that won’t heal. It’s usually something that is painful and won’t heal. Your body does not want to have cancer, so it tries to fight it off. It starts from getting repetitive sunburn and this starts when we are in childhood.”
The good news is early detection makes skin cancer very treatable, which is why Saint Francis is hosting a free skin cancer screening event on Jan. 14.
Appointments are required. The event is from 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. at the Health Zone at Saint Francis at 5353 East 68th St. in Tulsa.
To schedule a screening, call 918-556-3000.
This isn’t the first time Saint Francis has hosted one of these clinics. Ledet said last year physicians caught two melanomas and 17 non-melanoma skin cancers — all of these patients were then provided treatment.
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