For many, the arrival of summer means spending extra time basking in the warmth of the sun. While a great source of Vitamin D, which is essential for good health, we all know of a harmful effect of the sun’s UV rays: the risk of melanoma. And while melanoma is the deadliest skin cancer, it’s also one of the most preventable.
It’s important to minimize exposing oneself to the risk factors of melanoma — sun or UV exposure being the major one — says Prof. Michal Lotem, head of the Center for Melanoma and Cancer Immunotherapy at the Sharett Institute of Oncology at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem.
One simple preventative measure is wearing sunscreen. “Anti-sun lotions and creams and sprays are excellent on the condition that you put them on frequently enough, especially if you sweat, and that you use an index of 30, 35 sun protection factor and higher. They do protect the skin,” says Prof. Lotem, known as a pioneer in immunotherapy and melanoma research.
Read more below and see why Hadassah refers to Prof. Lotem as a “melanoma maven.”
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