Knowledge about the risk of sun exposure and skin neoplasms

Cutaneous neoplasms are the most prevalent type of cancer in the world and are closely related to sun exposure as a risk factor for their development. Non-melanoma types (basal cell and squamous cell) are the most prevalent and melanoma, although less common, is a very aggressive neoplasm with a poor prognosis. The agricultural population, due to occupational photoexposure, and the light-skinned population, represent a group that is more prone to the genesis of this cancer. Rio Grande do Sul is the Brazilian state with the highest incidence of melanoma and cutaneous neoplasms, as well as having a significant proportion of people of European descent (fair skin), living in rural areas and working in agriculture. Knowledge of risk factors is of the utmost importance for their prevention and campaigns aimed at guiding and educating the population about these factors and their protection play an important social and epidemiological role in this context, as well as providing early diagnosis for the appropriate treatment of skin lesions.

Autorentext
Gustavo Szczecinski Puchalski is a medical student at the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), graduating in 2019/2. He was research director of the Academic Oncology League (LAO-UFPel) during 2017, carrying out "Skin Cancer Prevention and Detection Campaigns" in cities in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.