May is Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month
We encourage everyone to get checked and protect yourself from the sun this summer. It’s the perfect time to talk about skin cancer – the most common cancer in the United States for men and women. It’s important to choose a pharmacy with a wide variety of treatment options, expert clinical support, and the care and compassion you deserve.
Five Main Types of Skin Cancer 1
- Basal and Squamous cell carcinoma – As the most common type of skin cancer, these cancers start in the top layer of skin (epidermis) and are often related to sun exposure.
- Melanoma – Much less common and develops when melanocytes (the cells that give the skin its tan or brown color) start to grow out of control.
- Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) – is a rare type of skin cancer that starts when neuroendocrine skin cells (Merkel cells) start to grow out of control.
- Lymphoma of the skin – when a non-Hodgkin lymphoma starts only in the skin (not in other organs or tissues)
- Kaposi Sarcoma – cancer that develops from the cells that line lymph or blood vessels. It usually appears as tumors on the skin or on mucosal surfaces such as inside the mouth, but can also develop in other parts of the body – lymph nodes, the lungs, or digestive tract.
Lower Your Risk
There is no sure way to prevent skin cancer. Some risk factors such as your age, race, and family history can’t be controlled. But there are things you can do to lower your risk of melanoma and other skin cancers2:
- Stay in the shade.
- Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs
- Wear a hat with a wide brim to shade your face, head, ears, and neck.
- Wear sunglasses that wrap around and block both UVA and UVB rays.
- Use broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.
- Avoid tanning beds.
Why Onco360?
- As a specialty pharmacy 100% focused on cancer, we will act as your advocate with your physician, insurance company, and others involved in your treatment
- Timing is crucial when it comes to cancer treatment. Our goal, without prior authorization or funding issues, is to have your medication delivered within 3-4 days. We even provide complimentary overnight shipping to your doorstep.
- We will make sure you understand your medications, their dosage, and any potential side effects. Our clinicians and pharmacists are on call 24/7 if you have any issues at 877.662.6633.
95% of our skin cancer patients
paid less than $50 for their last dispense
Best-in-class OncoAdvocate® Team
explores funding options for qualified
patients quickly with our proprietary
Funding FastTrack program and sourced
$387+ million in total funding
for our patients in 2022
Helpful Resources
If you would like to read further about skin cancer or prevention, here are some recommended resources:
1https://www.cancer.org/cancer/skin-cancer.html
2https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/sun-safety.htm#:~:text=You%20can%20reduce%20your%20risk,you’re%20in%20the%20shade.
*Third party survey data provided by MMIT for Independent Specialty Pharmacies (Oncology). Report dates Q3 and Q4 2021.