White Plains Hospital To Provide Free Skin Cancer Screenings

White Plains Hospital is helping combat skin cancer by raising awareness of the disease and offering free screenings for adults and children on Tuesday, May 8 at the Hospital’s Center for Cancer Care.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US with an estimated 1 in 5 Americans developing the disease each year, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Malignant melanoma, which is the deadliest form of skin cancer, takes the life of one person in the US each hour.

Early detection is vital to treating skin cancer and preventing it from spreading. Board certified dermatology specialists from White Plains Hospital will perform upper body exams on exposed areas of the skin such as the face, neck, arms and hands at the screening event. They will be on the lookout for actinic keratosis (AK), a pre-cancerous condition as well as other types of skin cancer including basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and, melanoma. If a suspicious lesion is detected, participants will be provided with information for a physician referral and follow-up.

With summer coming soon, the screeners will provide information on how to do regular self-skin exams in addition to yearly examination by a dermatologist. Brochures and other educational materials about skin cancer, prevention techniques, signs and symptoms and treatment will be available, and sunscreen samples will be distributed to all attendees.

The skin cancer screening will be held on Tuesday, May 8 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the White Plains Hospital Center for Cancer Care, 2 Longview Avenue in White Plains. Advance registration is preferred, but not required. Walk-ins are welcome, and the event is free of charge. Free valet parking is available. For more information, call (914) 849-7160.