Skin Cancer and the Elderly Essays - 1008 Words

I was born and raised in Palm Beach County of south Florida. The ocean, beach, and sun are just another everyday routine in the lives of a south Floridian. Sun bathing is a hobby that I never realized was such a big deal until moving to Orlando; when going to the beach and tanning is a privilege only shared on occasion. In Palm Beach County, it is hard to find someone that isn’t ten shades darker then they are naturally otherwise. When reports about the negative effects of UV light came about, I constantly heard â€Å"Oh, it won’t happen to me, I will deal with that when I’m older, but for now I’m going to continue tanning.† Today, skin cancer â€Å"is the most common type of cancer in the U.S.† (Ferrini, 2008). It is also the most dangerous for†¦show more content†¦Much of the sun damage that can result in long term consequences has already been inflicted. The Telegraph published an article in 2010 stating that the elderly tend to n ot visit their doctors as often, which results in prolonged diagnosis of skin cancer that is typically more difficult to treat (Smith). Though occurrences of skin cancer do increase with age, there are so many elders being diagnosed at advanced stages that it is highly important for elders to pay attention to any changes in their skin or moles in order to catch it earlier (Smith, 2010). The Skin Cancer Foundation claims that â€Å"up to 90% of the visible changes common with aging are due to sun exposure† (Skin Cancer Facts). UV radiation has also been found to increase cataracts and suppress our body’s immune system, of which both dangers are already concerns for an elder’s health. These effects can be dangerous for elders because if cataracts are left untreated it can lead to blindness and our immune system may become more vulnerable against foreign bodies or other cancers (Health effects of overexposure to the sun). Treatment and prevention of skin cancer is simple to achieve and it is concerning that people are not taking the necessary precautions in order to live a healthier, longer life. Step number one is to apply sunscreen any time you are in direct or indirect sun exposure. Wearing protective sunglasses canShow MoreRelatedRadiation versus Chemotherapy in the Elderly with Breast Cancer1113 Words   |  5 PagesRadiation versus Chemotherapy in the Elderly with Breast Cancer In clinical practice today the population is increasing in the number of elderly patients, as is the occurrence of breast cancer in women 60 years of age and older. According to Tang et al. (2011) the occurrence of breast cancer in women 65 years old and older is greater than â€Å"400 cases per 100, 000 women† (p. 3). The appropriate treatment options for the elderly are not as standard as those for a younger generation related to theRead MoreDemographics And Diseases Trends May Influence The Delivery Of Health Care Services1701 Words   |  7 Pagesand get more health problems. (What Environmental Factors Influence Aging, n.d.) â€Å"The sun is one of the causes of a person skin to age and decrease the skin to become elastic like a rubber band.† For instance, the sun can cause a person to develop spots on his or her skin. The spots on the skin are now skin cancer from the individual going outdoors and not having their skin covered with sunscreen then Aloe Vera gel when out of the sun. By 2030, age population for adults should increase more, in countriesRead MoreThe Merkel Cell ( Mcc )1459 Words   |  6 Pagesa component of the touch receptor. 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Other types of nurses include Wound Care, Home Care, Travel, Hospital, Neurological, Psychiatric, Hospice, Cardiac, Dialysis, Operating Room, Emergency Room, and IntensiveRead More†¢ Doctors use robots to conduct laparoscopic surgery. †¢ This includes gallbladder removal, hernia600 Words   |  3 Pagessurgery: ï  ¶ needs shorter recovery time. ï  ¶ have a smaller scar. ï  ¶ experiences less pain †¢ Doctors also have used robotic surgery to improve the accuracy of procedures, especially in cancer cases. †¢ The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is one of the best ways to protect against genital warts and cervical cancer †¢ Only about half of girls and boys aged 11 and 12 have received all 3 doses of the immunization. †¢ Scientists found that a single dose of the vaccine generated 24 times more antibodiesRead More Analysis of Cancer - The Enemy Within Essay1104 Words   |  5 PagesCancer - The Enemy Within      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Abstract: Cancer has been known and feared since antiquity, but its imperative danger could only be realized until fairly recently. Indeed as knowledge of the disease grew in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, fear increased when people became more aware that most cancers had no available cure. Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells reproduce without control, destroy healthy tissue, and eventually cause deterioration to the body. This paperRead MorePersuasive Essay On Vegetarians1390 Words   |  6 Pagesbelieve someday they will give in to meat. Many coaches or parents fear their teenager is going to collapse on the field or pass out in the middle of a test because they will become dangerously unhealthy with a vegetarian diet. Some worry their elderly parent will die from fragile bones; being too weak to even move. There are risks for those following a vegetarian diet, but there are ways to remain healthy, it’s just remembering what nutrient s the body needs. The majority of vegetarians are kids