Quiz: Skin Cancer

Jun 30, 2016

More than 3 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each year, making it the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in the United States. Take this quiz to test your knowledge of skin cancer and learn more about the disease.

1. True or False: More people develop skin cancer because of tanning than lung cancer because of smoking.

True
False
More than 90% of the millions of skin cancer cases that are diagnosed annually can be attributed to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or indoor tanning devices.1

2. How many Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime?

2%
10%
20%
50%
Current estimates are that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. More people in the United States have been diagnosed with skin cancer in the past 10 years than with lung, breast or prostate cancers combined1.

3. Which type of skin cancer is the most common?

Squamous cell carcinoma
Melanoma
Basal cell carcinoma
About 8 out of 10 skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas that typically develop on sun-exposed areas, such as the face, neck, and arms.2

4. Which type of skin cancer is the most dangerous?

Basal cell carcinoma
Melanoma
Squamous cell carcinoma
Melanoma accounts for only 1% of all skin cancer cases, but the vast majority of skin cancer deaths.3 If the melanoma is properly treated when it is in the top layer of skin, the cure rate is nearly 100%. However, once the melanoma cells spread to other organs, the 5-year survival rate is 15-20%.3

5. True or False: Only Caucasians can develop skin cancer.

True
False
Skin cancer does not discriminate by age, gender or race. While people of color have a lower risk of developing skin cancer than Caucasians, they are not immune to the disease and are often diagnosed at a more advanced stage.5 The lifetime risk of getting melanoma is about 1 in 40 for Caucasians, 1 in 200 for Hispanics and 1 in 1,000 for African Americans.6

6. What is the lowest level of sun protection factor (SPF) a sunscreen can contain to help protect against skin cancer?

8
15
30
50
The SPF number is the level of protection the sunscreen provides against short wave ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, which are the main cause of sunburn. Although higher numbers mean more protection, no sunscreen protects you completely. SPF 15 sunscreens filter out about 93% of UVB rays, SPF 30 sunscreens about 97%, SPF 50 sunscreens about 98% and SPF 100 sunscreens about 99%.7 Sunscreens with broad spectrum protection, meaning they protect against both long wave ultraviolet A (UVA) and UVB rays, and with an SPF of 30 or higher are recommended.7

7. How many serious sunburns does it take to double a person’s risk for developing melanoma?

One
Two
Five
Ten
It takes only one “blistering” sunburn, especially at a young age, to more than double a person's chance of developing melanoma later in life.6

8. True or False: Basal cell carcinoma isn’t that serious.

False
True
While death from this type of skin cancer is less common, if left untreated basal cell carcinomas may result in the loss of the ears, nose, and other affected areas.2

9. Which of the following new or changing moles or skin growths are commonly known as warning signs of melanoma?

All the above
Evolving: Looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape or color
Diameter: Greater than 6mm
Color: Pigmentation is not uniform
Border: Edges are ragged, notched or blurred
Asymmetry: One half is unlike the other half
To identify melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, remember the ABCDE rule when checking moles or skin growths that begin to grow or change. Consult your dermatologist immediately if any of your moles or pigmented spots exhibit these warning signs.3,4

10. True or False: Treating skin cancer is “just removing a mole.”

False
True
If caught early, removing the affected area may be all the treatment a patient needs. However, once the cancer has spread to other areas of the body, treatment becomes more complex and may involve the use of targeted therapies, radiation, chemotherapy, and other treatments.3

References

1 Skin Cancer Foundation. Skin Cancer Facts. Available at http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-facts. Accessed June 22, 2016.

2 American Cancer Society. Key statistics for basal and squamous cell skin cancers. Available at http://www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer-basalandsquamouscell/detailedguide/skin-cancer-basal-and-squamous-cell-key-statistics. Accessed June 22, 2016.

3 American Cancer Society. Key statistics for melanoma skin cancer. Available at http://www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer-melanoma/detailedguide/melanoma-skin-cancer-key-statistics. Accessed June 22, 2016.

4 American Academy of Dermatology. Melanoma: Overview. Available at https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/skin-cancer/melanoma. Accessed June 22, 2016.

5 American Academy of Dermatology. Dermatologists provide recommendations for preventing and detecting skin cancer in people of color. Available at https://www.aad.org/media/news-releases/dermatologists-provide-recommendations-for-preventing-and-detecting-skin-cancer-in-people-of-color. Accessed June 22, 2016.

6 Melanoma Research Foundation. Melanoma Facts and Stats. Available at https://www.melanoma.org/understand-melanoma/what-melanoma/melanoma-facts-and-stats. Accessed June 22, 2016.

7 American Cancer Society. Skin Cancer Prevention and Early Detection. Available at http://www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer-melanoma/moreinformation/skincancerpreventionandearlydetection/skin-cancer-prevention-and-early-detection-u-v-protection. Accessed June 22, 2016.

Read More Stories

Tags

Read More Stories

Read about breakthrough science, the everyday people who make it happen, and the patients we serve.