Beachgoers line up for a free skin cancer screening in this file photo. (Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island)
The Rhode Island Department of Health is teaming up with Brown Dermatology to provide free skin cancer screenings at state parks and beaches this summer.
Five Skin Check screening dates offered by the Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island are scheduled between Friday, July 12, through Aug. 17. The first 100 people who attend each event will be given private screenings by Brown dermatology doctors and residents. No registration is needed for the skin check, and dermatologist referrals will be made for people who need followup appointments.
Jerry Larkin, MD, the recently appointed director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, said in a statement Thursday that screenings can save lives and detect potential cancers among even the most dedicated sunscreen users.
“Along with seeking shade and using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more, getting a skin check is the most important thing you can do to protect against skin cancer,” Larkin stated. “Skin cancer can affect people of all skin tones and complexions, which is why all Rhode Islanders should take advantage of these free, convenient skin cancer checks.”
SPF 30, which blocks 97% of UVB rays, is sufficient for most uses and activities, so a higher SPF isn’t needed. Sunblock should, however, offer both UVA and UVB protection to defend against the range of the sun’s potentially damaging effects, state health officials said.
Melanoma, commonly regarded as the most serious form of skin cancer, is most likely to affect white people, who are estimated to have a lifetime risk of 1 in 38 of developing the disease. But John C. Kawaoka, MD, an associate professor of dermatology at Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, pointed out in a statement that there’s still a risk for people of all complexions.
“Everyone is at risk, even those with darker skin tones,” Kawaoka said. “We will once again be at the local beaches and parks doing skin cancer screenings as part of Skin Check. Every year we find a number of skin cancers, including melanoma, many of which people had no idea that they had.”
Since 2016, over 3,200 people have received free screenings with over 230 suspected cancers found, according to the event’s primary sponsor, local news outlet WJAR.
Contrary to the assumption that sunnier, warmer states might produce more skin cancer, New England is known to have high rates of skin cancer diagnoses. A 2020 study in the International Journal of Cancer estimated that skin cancer remains an issue in colder, northern states, with both Vermont and New Hampshire among the states with highest melanoma rates.
In Rhode Island, data from the National Cancer Institute shows that the smallest state is slightly under the national incidence rate of melanoma: 21.3 cases per 100,000 people, compared to 22.5 per 100,000 nationwide. But incidence rates vary quite a bit across the state, with less ethnically diverse cities and towns exhibiting higher rates. In data from 2016 to 2020, Providence County had a melanoma rate of 16.2 cases per 100,000 people, while Newport County had a rate of 36.9 per 100,000 people.
Other members of the Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island include Lifespan Community Health Institute and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
“Skin Check has a long history of providing free screenings to residents in our communities who need it most,” said Megan Daniel, the Partnership’s executive director. “It’s inspiring to see individuals and businesses who want to support this service and help reduce the burden of cancer in Rhode Island.”
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