UCSF to Offer Free Skin Cancer Screening Exams in Castro-Mission District on May 10

May is National Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and each year, UCSF joins other institutions across the country in offering free skin cancer screenings to members of the public.

The screenings are being held on Saturday, May 10, at the Castro-Mission Health Center, located at 3850 17th Street, San Francisco, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. No appointment is necessary. This year, UCSF will partner with the San Francisco Department of Public Health and District 8 Supervisor Bevan Dufty's office in an effort to provide access to more members of the community and increase awareness about the importance of sun protection. "Despite increased awareness about the harmful effects of the sun, skin cancer rates are rising," says Timothy Berger, MD, professor of clinical dermatology at UCSF School of Medicine. "Skin cancer is highly preventable if individuals take the proper precautions and learn how to be sun-safe. We really want San Franciscans to get the message that prevention and early detection can dramatically improve survival rates."

"Providing free screenings in the community is a great idea and the Castro neighborhood is a perfect location, as we have numerous outdoor activities and festivals year-round," says Dufty. "I hope the community takes advantage of the service and takes sun protection seriously. I was recently screened. I learned that it's an easy and simple process to help protect my health." More than 1 million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year, according to the American Cancer Society. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in his or her lifetime. By going into a particular community each year, UCSF hopes to reach different populations and increase the likelihood of individuals being screened. The Castro screening is the first of what is expected to be annual community skin cancer-screening events.

The free screenings will be conducted by UCSF dermatologists. Individuals will receive a full-body exam and information on prevention and tips for staying sun-safe. Individuals who may need treatment will be given a copy of the screening diagnosis and a referral list of dermatologists in the area for follow-up. The San Francisco Department of Public Health has generously provided UCSF with use of the Castro-Mission clinic to conduct the screenings.