Novant Health Primary Care Salisbury hosting free skin cancer screenings

Dermatology Group of the Carolinas conducting screenings on Friday, Oct. 20

SALISBURY - Novant Health Primary Care Salisbury will host its first community skin cancer screening from 1 to 3 p.m.Oct. 20 at 1904 Jake Alexander Blvd. W., Suite 303.

Dermatology Group of the Carolinas will conduct the screenings.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2017, more than 85,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with melanoma, the most aggressive type of skin cancer, and almost 10,000 people will die from the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute.

If left untreated, it can spread to other organs and could become difficult to control.

Melanoma usually forms in skin that has been exposed to damaging sunlight, but it can form anywhere. Preventive measures include using sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 and wearing wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses that block UV radiation.

When melanoma is diagnosed in its early stages, treatment is less invasive. Sometimes treatment can be as simple as a surgical procedure during a doctor's visit.

Melanoma risk factors include a family history of the disease and having fair skin, freckles, light hair and moles. Research published in JAMA Dermatology has found that 66 percent of people with melanoma had 20 or fewer moles.

In North Carolina, the rate of melanoma cases has risen with an average increase of more than 5 percent per year from 1995 to 2011, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services. About 287 people die of melanoma each year in North Carolina.

To register for a screening, call 800-335-4921.