Gardening and Cancer

Recently I had the misfortune of being diagnosed with a Basal Cell Carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, and had surgery this week to remove it. I share this not to elicit sympathy, but to highlight a potential consequence of outdoor gardening. Many of us love to garden in the warmth of spring and summer and to soak up the sun's rays just as our plants do. Skin cancer can result.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, Basal Cell Carcinoma is the world's most common form of cancer and almost all of these cancers occur on parts of the body that are exposed to sun. Sun exposure is clearly the culprit. Workers with outdoor occupations and people, particularly older people, who spend leisure time in the sun are especially susceptible. Does that sound like anyone you know?

Those of us who can be classified as "older people" tend to have more time to enjoy leisure activities like gardening. After decades of unprotected exposure to the sun we compound previous skin damage with more damaging exposure. Cancer is seldom on our minds as we dig, plant, and harvest.

As cancers go, Basal Cell Carcinoma isn't too scary; it's not life threatening. It seldom metastasizes, or spreads, to vital organs in the body and is not considered fatal. It is easily treated in its early stages, but left untreated it can damage skin tissue and cause disfigurement. Of course, it should definitely be dealt with when diagnosed.

Anyone with a history of sun exposure can develop Basal Cell Carcinoma. Your risk is higher if you have light-colored skin. Blond or red hair also puts you at risk. Blue and green eyes are another risk factor. In the past, more men than women developed it, but women are catching up fast.

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and can be deadly. It is almost always curable if recognized and treated early. If untreated, it can metastasize and be fatal. The same people susceptible to a Basal Cell Carcinoma can be susceptible to Melanoma, but heredity plays an important role in developing Melanoma. If you have a close family member who developed Melanoma, you are more at risk.

People who have developed one Basal Cell Carcinoma are at risk of developing more, even when the first is treated. On the day of my surgery there were six other men in the waiting room for the same procedure as me. They were all older and were all on repeat visits. One man was having surgery for the sixth time.

The treatment for Basal Cell Carcinoma is simple. The doctor removes it. This can be done through surgery, liquid nitrogen, topical medications, and radiation. When it is near the nose or eyes, as in my case, a surgeon will often perform Mohs Micrographic Surgery. My outstanding doctor made this procedure easy and almost comfortable. In the surgery, the visible cancer and a thin layer of skin around it is removed. The tissue is examined immediately under a microscope while the patient waits. If additional tumor is observed during the microscopic examination, another layer of tissue is excised. This process is repeated until all of the cancer is removed. Success rate is often 95 to 99 percent.

Surgical excision and, increasingly, Mohs Micrographic Surgery is the primary treatment for Melanoma.

Recognition is the most important step in identifying that you might have a skin cancer. Knowing your skin and recognizing changes is critical. You need to be aware of  the Five Warning Signs of Basal Cell Carcinoma and the ABCDEs of Melanoma. You can click on either of the links at the bottom of the page for photos of possible cancerous conditions.

You've heard it before, and I'll say it again. Protect yourself from the sun when you're outside. Wear a wide-brimmed hat, wear protective clothing like long-sleeved shirts and gloves, wear UV-blocking sunglasses, and use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher (higher is better).

While fair-skinned, light-haired, blue-eyed people have many risk factors it is important to know that everyone is at risk for developing skin cancer. If you spend time in the sun, like gardening, you should see your doctor regularly for skin examinations. If you detect a skin abnormality like in the photos linked above, you should see your doctor immediately.

I'll continue to garden because I love it. I don't mean to imply that gardening is worth the risk of skin cancer. Rather, with the proper precautions and awareness, gardening can be done safely by mitigating many of the risk factors for developing a skin cancer.

The way many of us garden can be dangerous even when we're aware of the risk. I'll often head out to the garden to move the hose or pick some vegetables. Because it's a quick trip, precautions aren't taken. Then I see a few weeds that need to be pulled. Then the herbs need to be pinched back. Then it's time to move the water again. Then the wheelbarrow needs to be put away. Then the compost pile needs to be turned. Before I know it, the quick trip turns into a few hours in the sun. Sound familiar?

I exam my skin much more closely now and look for another Basal Cell Carcinoma to appear. I'm also applying a high-SPF sunscreen more regularly and wearing my hat even more than before. Even for the quick trips to the garden I try to remember to apply sunscreen and wear my hat. As it becomes habit, I realize it really isn't that much extra effort but the dividends are huge. Preventing skin cancer is a big deal.

Link to Skin Cancer Foundation
Five Warning Signs of Basil Cell Carcinoma

Recently I had the misfortune of being diagnosed with a Basal Cell Carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, and had surgery this week to remove it. I share this not to elicit sympathy, but to highlight a potential consequence of outdoor gardening. Many of us love to garden in the warmth of spring and summer and to soak up the sun's rays just as our plants do. Skin cancer can result.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, Basal Cell Carcinoma is the world's most common form of cancer and almost all of these cancers occur on parts of the body that are exposed to sun. Sun exposure is clearly the culprit. Workers with outdoor occupations and people, particularly older people, who spend leisure time in the sun are especially susceptible. Does that sound like anyone you know?

Those of us who can be classified as "older people" tend to have more time to enjoy leisure activities like gardening. After decades of unprotected exposure to the sun we compound previous skin damage with more damaging exposure. Cancer is seldom on our minds as we dig, plant, and harvest.

As cancers go, Basal Cell Carcinoma isn't too scary; it's not life threatening. It seldom metastasizes, or spreads, to vital organs in the body and is not considered fatal. It is easily treated in its early stages, but left untreated it can damage skin tissue and cause disfigurement. Of course, it should definitely be dealt with when diagnosed.

Anyone with a history of sun exposure can develop Basal Cell Carcinoma. Your risk is higher if you have light-colored skin. Blond or red hair also puts you at risk. Blue and green eyes are another risk factor. In the past, more men than women developed it, but women are catching up fast.

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and can be deadly. It is almost always curable if recognized and treated early. If untreated, it can metastasize and be fatal. The same people susceptible to a Basal Cell Carcinoma can be susceptible to Melanoma, but heredity plays an important role in developing Melanoma. If you have a close family member who developed Melanoma, you are more at risk.

People who have developed one Basal Cell Carcinoma are at risk of developing more, even when the first is treated. On the day of my surgery there were six other men in the waiting room for the same procedure as me. They were all older and were all on repeat visits. One man was having surgery for the sixth time.

The treatment for Basal Cell Carcinoma is simple. The doctor removes it. This can be done through surgery, liquid nitrogen, topical medications, and radiation. When it is near the nose or eyes, as in my case, a surgeon will often perform Mohs Micrographic Surgery. My outstanding doctor made this procedure easy and almost comfortable. In the surgery, the visible cancer and a thin layer of skin around it is removed. The tissue is examined immediately under a microscope while the patient waits. If additional tumor is observed during the microscopic examination, another layer of tissue is excised. This process is repeated until all of the cancer is removed. Success rate is often 95 to 99 percent.

Surgical excision and, increasingly, Mohs Micrographic Surgery is the primary treatment for Melanoma.

Recognition is the most important step in identifying that you might have a skin cancer. Knowing your skin and recognizing changes is critical. You need to be aware of  the Five Warning Signs of Basal Cell Carcinoma and the ABCDEs of Melanoma. You can click on either of the links at the bottom of the page for photos of possible cancerous conditions.

You've heard it before, and I'll say it again. Protect yourself from the sun when you're outside. Wear a wide-brimmed hat, wear protective clothing like long-sleeved shirts and gloves, wear UV-blocking sunglasses, and use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher (higher is better).

While fair-skinned, light-haired, blue-eyed people have many risk factors it is important to know that everyone is at risk for developing skin cancer. If you spend time in the sun, like gardening, you should see your doctor regularly for skin examinations. If you detect a skin abnormality like in the photos linked above, you should see your doctor immediately.

I'll continue to garden because I love it. I don't mean to imply that gardening is worth the risk of skin cancer. Rather, with the proper precautions and awareness, gardening can be done safely by mitigating many of the risk factors for developing a skin cancer.

The way many of us garden can be dangerous even when we're aware of the risk. I'll often head out to the garden to move the hose or pick some vegetables. Because it's a quick trip, precautions aren't taken. Then I see a few weeds that need to be pulled. Then the herbs need to be pinched back. Then it's time to move the water again. Then the wheelbarrow needs to be put away. Then the compost pile needs to be turned. Before I know it, the quick trip turns into a few hours in the sun. Sound familiar?

I exam my skin much more closely now and look for another Basal Cell Carcinoma to appear. I'm also applying a high-SPF sunscreen more regularly and wearing my hat even more than before. Even for the quick trips to the garden I try to remember to apply sunscreen and wear my hat. As it becomes habit, I realize it really isn't that much extra effort but the dividends are huge. Preventing skin cancer is a big deal.

Link to Skin Cancer Foundation
Five Warning Signs of Basil Cell Carcinoma