Sunny hot days like this are a recipe for the deadly skin cancer known as melanoma, but oncologist Dr. Steven Kalter of San Antonio's START Center says it is impossible for people who live in South Texas to avoid the afternoon summer sun, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
So Dr. Kalter says the best way to protect yourself is, first, to use common sense, and apply protective sunscreen when you go outside.
But then, he says melanoma gives you plenty of notice of its potential arrival, and people should be alert to those early warning signs.
"If you develop a skin lesion of any type that doesn't go away after a week or two, you probably should see a dermatologist," he said.
Dr. Kalter says if captured in the early development stages, the skin rashes which are precursors to the potential development of melanoma can be stopped in their tracks.
"A good percentage of them can be frozen off, and a creme can sometimes destroy these pre cancerous lesions that we all develop."
He says it's easy to say 'don't smoke to avoid lung cancer,' but saying 'don't go out in the sun,' especially since outdoor activites are being encouraged for today's video game addicted youngsters, is problematic.
"Most of us enjoyed sunbathing and long term sun exposure when we were in our teens and twenties, and that, quite frankly, is when a good bit of the damage is done."
Oncologists say the older and whiter you are, the most likely you are to come down with melanoma. It affects Anglos more than Hispanics or African Americans, and the average age of a melanoma patient is 63.
Dr. Kalter says, for the first time, there are effective treatments for melanoma. Former President Carter, who is 92, for example, was successfully treated for melanoma using a drug which was tested at the START Center.