UCI Medical Center Skin Cancer Update Set

The head of the Dermatology Department at UCI Medical Center will give an update on skin cancer followed by a free skin cancer screening Thursday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the hospital in Orange.

Dr. Gerald D. Weinstein will discuss the use of sunscreens and the prevention of skin cancer. Also during his lecture, “The Battle of Skin and Sun: Update on Skin Cancer,” Weinstein will review new therapies for treatment.

The skin cancer screenings coincide with National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month. It is projected that about 1 million people in the United States will be diagnosed with skin cancer this year, and more than 7,000 will die from the disease, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Cancer specialists recommend skin examinations at least once a year, emphasizing that almost all new cases of skin cancer are curable if caught in the early stages. Experts say risk factors for cancer include a history of sunburns as a child, a large number of moles on the body and a fair complexion.

Since free skin screenings began 11 years ago, more than 1 million people have been examined and more than 7,000 skin tumors have been discovered, according to the American Cancer Society.

Weinstein’s free lecture, which will be held in the Associates Conference Room at the hospital, is presented by the UCI Medical Center Associates. For information or reservations, call (714) 456-5496.