Hello. My name is Mark Russell, and I'm a dermatologist at the University of Virginia. I specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of skin cancer. And I want to speak to you just for a bit about skin cancer and the importance of screening. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. In fact, there are more skin cancers diagnosed every year than all other cancers combined. So it's very important to know about this. Skin cancer occurs when cells in the skin begin to grow in an irregular fashion. Left untreated, skin cancer can continue to grow and result destruction of the surrounding skin, and can potentially spread to other parts of the body, where it then becomes life-threatening. That can be terrifying. But the good news is, when caught early, skin cancer can almost always be treated effectively. What's the cause of skin cancer? It's almost always caused by ultraviolet radiation. And that can come either from the sun or from tanning beds. So it makes sense, to reduce your risk of skin cancer, you want to try to minimize your exposure to ultraviolet radiation. This can be done by avoiding tanning beds and by wearing protective clothing like broad-brimmed hats, long-sleeved shirts, seeking the shade whenever possible, and using sunscreen when you'll be spending time outdoors, even on shady days or in the fall and the winter. What groups are at risk? Well, everybody has a risk of skin cancer, but it's more prevalent in adults and fair-skinned individuals. It's especially important for everyone to be aware of ultraviolet protection and to know how to screen for skin cancer. You can practice self-screening by looking at your skin monthly. The American Academy of Dermatology website has information on skin cancer and how to self-screen. In general, you want to look for new moles or moles that have changed in size, color, or shape. You also want to look for spots on your skin that scab or bleed easily, or that occur, heal up, and then recur in the same area. If you identify a suspicious spot, you should contact a physician for further evaluation. Delaying this step could allow a skin cancer to grow and be more difficult to treat. There are several ways available to be seen by a physician for suspicious skin spots. The first is to bring it up to your primary care physician. The second is to see a dermatologist. And this can be done either in person or, if available, through telehealth. The bottom line is that if the lesion's suspicious, contact a medical provider for further evaluation. The sooner you have a skin cancer treated, the better the outcome. Thank you.