Male Speaker: When it comes to skin cancer, a recent poll has found Canadians aren't connecting the dots. In fact while over half are concerned about getting skin cancer, the vast majority or 86% couldn't visually indentify a precancerous actinic keratosis lesion. Dr. Charles Lynde, Dermatologist, explains the importance of early detection and treatment of this common skin condition.
Dr. Charles Lynde: Actinic keratosis are small little rough spots that often develop because of sun exposure. They can be on a sun exposed area such as your face, back of your hands and to your chest, but all over in some exposed areas. And they result because of too much sun exposure. They're important to recognize because they can if left untreated become squamous cell carcinomas and that's the second most common type of skin cancer that we have. Canadian should be checking their skin all year round for suspicious lesions. These can come up at time of the year. If they see little spots that aren't healing, they're abnormal, they should see their family doctor, their dermatologist regarding this.
Male Speaker: Actinic keratosis typically develops on the parts of the body that get the most sun exposure, like a balding scalp, the forehead, face, ears, neck and/or hands. Lesions can be flat or raised, flaky or scaly and can look like red patches, crusts or sores. It usually occurs in people over 40 with light colored skin, hair and eyes or in those who have a history of severe sun burns and exposure to artificial UV light, such as tanning beds or sun lamps.
Dr. Charles Lynde: A Canadian should check their skin all year round. Abnormal lesions can occur anytime of the year. If they see one of these abnormal lesions or something they're concerned about, they certainly should show their physician. There are a number of treatment options available for actinic keratosis; cryotherapy, which is liquid nitrogen usually, cutting out the lesions, scraping off the lesions and some different topical creams. We now have a neuro cream that's available that's convenient to use.
Male Speaker: Zyclara is a new topical prescription cream recently approved by Health Canada for multiple actinic keratosis located on the face or balding scalp in adults.
Dr. Charles Lynde: Zyclara is a new cream that's available for treating actinic keratosis. It's a cream that identifies the lesions that we can see with our naked eye, but also lesions that are underneath the skin. It then clears those off and makes our skin heal thus preventing hopefully the squamous cell carcinomas that might develop because of the actinic keratosis.
Male Speaker: Dr. Lynde adds that early detection and treatment of actinic keratosis is the 3key to stopping it in its tracks before it leads to skin cancer. Canadian should check their skin all year round. For more information about actinic keratosis and the risks for non-melanoma skin cancer, talk to your doctor or visit skincancerguide.ca.
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