While no one can control their health completely, at this point it would be naive to think that the odds of getting cancer are completely left up to chance. The World Health Organization estimates that between 30% and 50% of all cancer cases are preventable. There’s one type of cancer that’s largely avoidable, yet more than 5,000 men are expected to die of it this year—more than double the number of women who will.
We’re talking about melanoma. According to the American Cancer Society, cancer of the skin is by far the most common type of cancer in the U.S., and melanoma accounts for a large majority of skin cancer deaths. Ready for the good news? You can drastically lower your risk by having some very basic habits in place.
Why More Men Are Dying From Melanoma Than Women
If all you know about melanoma is that it’s a skin cancer and is one reason why dermatologists preach about SPF, here’s what else you need to know. Nandini Kulkarni, MD, a surgical oncologist with Inspira Health, explains that while it’s not always easy to pinpoint the cause of melanoma, gene mutation is at the root of cancer development. “UV rays can damage the DNA in skin cells, which can affect how cells grow and divide—a key component of cancer,” she says.
There are a few reasons why melanoma strikes men harder than women. Rosanne Paul, DO, an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Case Western Reserve University, says that one reason is because men have thicker skin than women and tend to have less fat on their skin. “You might think that having thicker skin would be protective, but it’s a risk factor because it means that there’s more skin that can potentially be damaged,” she says. Dr. Paul says that another difference between men and women’s skin is that women’s skin repairs itself from UV damage better than men’s skin does.
Besides skin differences, there are a few behavioral reasons why men are at greater risk of dying from melanoma than women. Jeremy Brauer, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, dermatologic surgeon, and founder of Spectrum Skin and Laser, points out that men are less likely than women to wear skincare products or makeup that contain SPF. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, women are more than twice as likely to wear sunscreen than men.
Dr. Brauer says men are also less likely to see a dermatologist for yearly skin checks and are slower to ask their doctor about any symptoms they’re experiencing, like a suspicious looking mole.
How To Lower Your Risk of Melanoma
While everyone should do what they can to lower their risk of melanoma, there are certain individuals who need to be especially mindful because they’re at higher risk. If you have a family history of it, have light-colored skin, have a lot of moles, spend a lot of time outside, live near the equator or at a high elevation, or have had a bad sunburn in the past, that means you. Dr. Brauer adds that the older you are, the more at-risk you are because skin damage is cumulative.
For the record, people of all skin tones can get melanoma, but having light-colored skin ups your risk. “Most melanomas start in the skin, commonly on the chest or back for men with a lighter skin color. For men with darker skin, it is harder to notice lesions, which can lead to later detection. Additionally, men with darker skin are more likely to develop melanoma in more unusual locations, like under the nail bed,” Dr. Kulkarni says.
Dr. Paul and Dr. Kulkarni say the two best ways to lower your risk of melanoma are to see a derm once a year and protect your skin from the sun. That means wearing sun-protective clothing, applying SPF 30 anytime you’re outside (even on cloudy days) and staying out of the sun midday when UV rays are far more intense. Dr. Paul says not to forget to apply sunscreen to your ears, which is a common place melanoma can occur. If you’re bald, don’t forget to protect your head too.
While seeing a dermatologist once a year for a skin check is the standard precautionary advice, Dr. Brauer says that if you notice any moles changing color or shape, that’s a time to book an appointment with your dermatologist so they can check it out. Other symptoms of melanoma include a sore that won’t heal, redness or swelling beyond the border of a mole, change in the surface of the mole or pain or itchiness when you touch it.
Let’s say you do see a dermatologist about a suspicious mole and it turns out that you do have melanoma. What now? “When caught early, melanoma is highly treatable and the prognosis is very good,” Dr. Paul says. She explains that melanoma is treated with a skin surgery during which the cancerous cells are removed. This form of treatment is very successful. “According to the American Cancer Society, the estimated five-year survival rate for patients in the U.S. diagnosed with the earliest stage of melanoma is about 99%,” Dr. Brauer says. Take it from Hugh Jackman— skin cancer is highly treatable when caught early.
It’s when the cancer spreads that the experts say it becomes more challenging to treat. “When it comes to a diagnosis of mucosal melanoma, which is more difficult to detect and often diagnosed at a later stage, the five-year survival rate for all stages at time of diagnosis is 25%,” Dr. Brauer says. If the cancer spreads, Dr. Paul says more aggressive forms of treatment are necessary, such as immunotherapy.
There’s no reason why thousands of men in the U.S. should die from melanoma each year. Slather on SPF, book a recurring yearly visit to a dermatologist, and get anything weird on your skin checked out. Those three habits go a long way. In fact, they just might save your life.