SEA 



SCIENCE 



LEFT: Basal cell carcinoma, which accounts for more tlian 90 percent of all skin cancer in tlte U.S., 

 is slow-growing and seldom spreads to other parts of tire body. 



"Many fishermen say they can't afford 

 treatment for skin problems," says William 

 Burke, chief of Division of Dermatology, the 

 Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina 

 University. "Many don't have any health 

 insurance. We often reach the fishermen by 

 educating their wives." 



To educate the North Carolina fishing 

 community about skin problems, the N.C. 

 Agromedicine Institute — a collaborative 

 program between East Carolina University, 

 North Carolina State University and N.C. A & T 

 State University — is conducting a three-year 

 pilot study. The institute, based at ECU in 

 Greenville, also focuses on the occupational 

 risks of foresters and farmers. 



The skin cancer project, funded by the 

 National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

 Health, will provide educational materials for the 

 fishing community. Griffith and Burke are the 

 project's co-investigators. Recently, North 

 Carolina Sea Grant helped develop a skin cancer 

 poster to distribute to fish houses and other 

 places frequented by fishers. 



"Many farmers and fishermen are aware of 

 the dangers of the sun, but often believe that it 

 does not affect their ability to work," says East 

 Carolina University medical student Chris Scott, 

 who has made skin cancer prevention presenta- 

 tions throughout Eastern North Carolina. "By 

 limiting their sun exposure, they can delay or cut 

 their risk of skin cancer." 



CRUCIAL SCREENINGS 



Burke and others also are conducting skin 

 cancer screenings in North Carolina, Alabama 

 and Maryland. "So far, we have tested 59 fishers 

 in North Carolina and found that many have 

 precancerous lesions," says Burke. He also has 

 diagnosed five cases of skin cancer. 



The two most common types of skin 

 cancer are basal and squamous cell cancer. Basal 

 cell cancer accounts for more than 90 percent of 

 all skin cancers in the United States. These 

 cancers are slow-growing and seldom spread to 

 other parts of the body. 



"Basal cell is treated surgically and is easy 

 to treat if caught early," says Burke. "It comes 

 from cumulative exposure and damage from the 

 sun — and has little chance of metastasizing." 



Squamous cell cancer also is caused by 

 chronic outdoor activity. It is treated surgically 

 and has little chance of metastasizing, unless it 

 occurs on the lip where it has a higher chance of 

 spreading, according to Burke. 



Malignant melanoma the most rapidly 

 increasing form of cancer in the United States, 

 causes approximately 75 percent of all skin 

 cancer deaths. This disease can spread to other 

 organs, most commonly to the lungs and liver. 



"People who get a bad sunburn early at age 

 2 to 5 are more likely to get melanoma," says 

 Burke. "It is more common in fair-skinned people 

 but can occur in black people. Almost all 

 commercial fishermen in North Carolina are of 

 Celtic descent or fair-skinned." 



Besides skin cancer, Burke has found 

 numerous other skin problems in the fishing 

 community. 



"Most fishermen laugh if they are asked 

 about skin problems because some kind of 

 problem comes up almost daily," says Burke. 

 "One common problem is stingray injuries that 

 can get infected if not treated properly and trauma 

 to the skin from the pinching of crabs." 



Skin cancer is the most common form of 

 cancer in the United States. More than one million 

 cases likely were diagnosed in 2002, according to 

 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 



In a Maryland study, fishers who spent a 

 lot of time on the water had a 2.5 times higher 

 risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma than 

 those who spent less time in the sun. 



To find out more about skin problems in 

 North Carolina's fishing community, Griffith is 

 conducting a survey. 



"The questionnaire will be mailed out to 

 more than 300 commercial fishermen in the 

 southeast region," says Griffith, an ECU 

 anthropologist. "We also will be interviewing 

 health professionals about how often they see 

 skin cancer in commercial fishermen." 



CAUSE OF SKIN CANCER 



According to current estimates, 40 to 50 

 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will 

 have skin cancer at least once. Although anyone 

 can get skin cancer, the risk is greater for people 

 who work outside and have fair skin that 

 freckles easily — often those with red or blond 

 hair or light-colored eyes. 



The risk is also higher in places where 

 there is intense year-round sunshine. In the 

 United States, the highest incidence is in 

 Arizona. Because eastern North Carolina 

 receives high levels of UV radiation from the 

 sun, residents are at high risk for skin cancer. 



"The summer months are the worst 



24 EARLY SUMMER 2003 



