Free skin cancer screenings May 4 at Providence

WALLA WALLA—A free screening for skin cancer will be May 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Providence St. Mary Regional Cancer Center. Registration begins on April 12.

The screening is a cooperative event offered by the Cancer Center and the Walla Walla Clinic Dermatology Department. Dr. David Panther and physician assistant Ken Busby perform the screenings. All individuals entering the center are required to wear masks covering both their nose and mouth and pass a brief screening for COVID-19 at the door.

If anything of concern is found in the skin cancer screening, patients will be referred back to their primary care physicians for a possible follow-up biopsy and treatment.

Patients already under the care of a dermatologist and who have pre-existing conditions are not eligible for free screening.

Skin cancer is the world’s most common cancer, with more new cases annually than the combined incidence of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer, according to the Archives of Dermatology. The deadliest form, melanoma, can spread to other tissue and organs and be life-threatening if not detected early. Non-melanoma skin cancers are not generally life-threatening but can be disfiguring if not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. Skin cancers also have a high rate of recurrence.

Appointments are required for the free screening. Low-income individuals will be given first priority for the appointments. Call the Providence St. Mary Regional Cancer Center

at 509-897-5700 to register.