Attention Drivers: Protect Your Left Arm; Passengers: Watch Your Right
ST. LOUIS — Dr. Scott Fosko advocates for truck drivers to apply sunscreen as consistently as they log their driving hours.
With National Skin Cancer Awareness Month in full swing and increasing sun exposure, Fosko, chair of dermatology at St. Louis University Medical School, highlights that driving elevates the risk of skin cancer on the left side of the body.
Fosko and his team observed that skin cancer cases appeared more frequently on the left side of patients’ faces and bodies compared to the right, particularly in men. To investigate, they examined records of patients referred for Mohs micrographic surgery in 2004, finding that 52.6 percent of 890 patients had non-midline skin cancer on their left side, with the proportion rising to 54 percent among male patients.
Fosko noted that these findings were statistically significant, with women under 50 also displaying a left-side predominance. He speculates these trends may stem from evolving driving habits among women, who historically occupied the passenger seat more frequently but now tend to drive more.
Angie Laird, who recently had basal cell carcinoma removed from her face, shares that both of her removed cancers were on the left side. With extensive time spent driving for work and leisure, she feels the connection is evident. Similarly, Joseph H. Mueller, 75, suspects that the basal cell carcinomas on his left ear and nose are also related to driving.
The American Academy of Dermatology clarifies that while windshields block UVA and UVB rays, side and rear windows mainly filter out UVB rays. UVA rays penetrate deeper and can lead to more severe skin cancers like melanoma. Fosko suggests drivers use window tints and UV filters, as well as wear broad-spectrum sunscreen and protective clothing while on the road.
Their study will be featured in an upcoming edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, revealing that 75 percent of malignant melanoma in situ cases were found on the left side, indicating chronic sun exposure as a critical factor. Fosko emphasizes that this type of skin cancer is highly treatable if detected early.
