Fall River, MA – Warm weather is a great reminder to get outdoors to enjoy spring and summer fun, such as the beach, garden, and great outdoor sports and activities. 

Before you immerse yourself in the season’s sunshine, though, prepare now with a free skin cancer screening at Saint Anne’s Hospital.

Held annually in conjunction with the American Academy of Dermatology, Saint Anne’s 21^st annual free screenings by a board-certified dermatologist will be held on Tuesday, May 16, and Wednesday, May 17, from 5-6:30 p.m. at the hospital’s Hudner Oncology Center, corner of Osborn and Forest Streets, Fall River. 

Understanding skin cancer

The most common malignant skin tumors are:

• basal cell cancer, which usually develop on the face and ears
• squamous cell cancer, which most commonly appear on sun-exposed areas of the body, such as face, ear, neck, lip, and hand
• melanoma, less common but more dangerous than basal or squamous cell

According to the American College of Dermatology (ACD), skin cancer, including melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer, is the most common of all cancers. In fact, skin cancer accounts for nearly half of all cancers in the United States. Current estimates from the ACD are that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime and that nearly 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day.

The ACD also reports that the rates of melanoma have doubled since 1982. It is estimated that, in 2017 alone, 161,790 new cases of melanoma, 74,680 noninvasive (in situ) and 87,110 invasive, will be diagnosed in the U.S.

The good news is: Skin cancer can be found and treated early.  Make an appointment!

For more than two decades, skin cancer screenings held at Saint Anne’s have revealed numerous cases of various skin cancers.  However, in the majority of cases, skin cancers are curable if found in the early stages. 

Make an appointment for a free skin screening if you notice:

• any change on the skin, especially in the size or color of a mole or other darkly pigmented growth or spot, or a new growth
• scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or change in the appearance of a bump or nodule
• the spread of pigmentation beyond its border such as dark coloring that spreads past the edge of a mole or mark
• a change in sensation, itchiness, tenderness, or pain

Saint Anne’s Hospital’s skin screenings for specific areas of concern are free, but appointments are required.  To schedule an appointment, or learn more about the screenings:

• Call Saint Anne’s Hospital Cancer Registry, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., 508-674-5600, ext. 2185.
• Visit our event calendar.

About Saint Anne’s Hospital

Founded by the Dominican Sisters of the Presentation in 1906, Saint Anne’s Hospital in Fall River, Massachusetts, is a full-service, acute care Catholic hospital with 185 beds and satellite locations in Attleboro, Swansea, Dartmouth, New Bedford, and Stoughton, Massachusetts. A member of Steward Health Care, Saint Anne’s provides nationally recognized patient- and family-centered inpatient care (including all private rooms) and outpatient clinical services to patients from surrounding Massachusetts and Rhode Island communities. In addition to comprehensive diagnostic, medical, surgical, and emergency services, Saint Anne’s key services include Saint Anne’s Hospital Regional Cancer Center in Fall River and Dartmouth; the Joint Commission-certified Center for Orthopedic Excellence; ambulatory surgery centers in Attleboro and Dartmouth; the Center for Pain Management in Swansea and Dartmouth; and geriatric psychiatry services at locations in Fall River and Stoughton.