Jim Neve has always enjoyed being outdoors.

But, unlike when he was a youth, the Leelanau Township man now makes sure "SPF" factor, and clothing that will protect him from the ultraviolet rays coming from the sun.

JIM NEVE noticed a growth on his nose
in 2006. He was later diagnosed with basal
cell carcinoma, and last year had surgery
to have the cancerous area removed.

“When I was a teenager I didn’t wear a hat when I went outside. I spent summers at my grandparents, working on their farm. It was a lot of time spent outside, all without a hat on my head,” Neve said.

In the fall of 2006, Neve noticed a growth on this nose. “It looked like a small bump, a pimple,” he said.

When he went for his annual physical, Neve mentioned the growth to his physician and was referred to a dermatologist, who took a skin sample. After tests were conducted, she came back with the diagnosis: basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer.

The treatment he received culminated last year on May 29 when Neve underwent surgery to have the cancerous area on his nose removed. A scar on his nose is a reminder of what can happen when people don’t protect their skin from the sun.

“I saw the bump on my nose, but didn’t think it was anything. It wasn’t until five or six months later that it became sore and appeared to be spreading,” Neve said.

Neve and his wife, Norma, make a skin evaluation part of their daily routine and include it in their annual physical exam as well.

Dr. Patrick Tobin, a retired physician in Traverse City, said more people need to be like the Neves when it comes to self-examination for skin cancer. Tobin took part in a free skin cancer screening clinic held at the Munson Community Health Center in Traverse City Monday. Tobin said they health care professionals saw about 150 people, adding he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary with the folks he examined.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and Tobin said the most important thing people can do to head off any problems is self-examinations.

“If you see anything out of the ordinary, a new growth on your skin, a rash that never goes away, tell you doctor about it as soon as possible,” he said.

There are three basic types of skin cancer: melanoma, basal cell carcinoma; and squamos cell. Of the three, melanoma is the most serious. According to a fact sheet provided by the Skin Cancer Foundation, melanoma is a malignant tumor that originates in melanocytes, the cells that produce the pigment melanin that colors our skin, hair and eyes. The majority of melanomas are black or brown, but some are skin-colored, pink, red, purple, blue or white. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2007, 8,020 of the 8,110 deaths directly caused by skin cancer were caused by melanomas.

Tobin said melanomas can be determined using the “ABCDEs” of detection: Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, Evolving.

“If you draw a line through a mole and the two sides don’t match, that is one sign the mole may be a melanoma,” he said. If the border around a mole or patch of skin is uneven, that is another indication. If a patch of skin has number of different colors, different shades of brown, tan or black, or even red and blue, that is another indication. Tobin said melanomas are usually larger than the size of an eraser on a pencil, and tend to change in size and shape as well.

Squamos cell carcinoma is the second most common form of skin cancer and is generally not as serious as a basal cell or melanoma. Tobin said squamos cell carcinomas tend to develop around the mouth as well.

“The best thing to do to prevent any form of skin cancer it to stay out of the sun. And stay away from tanning booths, too much sun accelerates the aging of your skin,” Tobin said.

For more information about the early warning signs of skin cancer, go to www.skincancer.org or consult your physician.

Skin cancer prevention tips

The Skin Cancer Institute offers the following tips for preventing skin cancer:
• Seek the shade, especially between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Do not burn.
• Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths.
• Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day.
• Apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours.
• Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
• Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens should be used on babies over the age of six months.
• Examine your skin head-to-toe every month.
• See your physician every year for a professional skin exam.