Photo by Dana Baluch
Dr. Jagjit Tandon, MD specializes in Oncology. Tandon provides several precautions that can be taken to avoid skin cancer.

By Dana Baluch

Special to The Ridgway Record

Pennsylvania’s farmers face many risks in their day-to-day work, risks such as accidents, and exposure to toxic chemicals from fertilizers and pesticides. One danger that is not as visible comes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. These rays damage the skin, leading to skin cancer, premature aging of the skin, and suppression of the immune system.
Dr. Jagjit Tandon, MD, who specializes in Oncology, which is the study of cancer. sees many patients with different forms of skin cancer. He says that farmers are at an increased risk for skin cancer simply because they are outdoors more often, and are therefore more exposed to the sun’s harmful rays. There is really no way for a farmer to avoid being exposed to the sun, but there are precautions they can take  to limit their risk of getting skin cancer.
Those precautions include:
n Cover skin that is exposed to the sun with clothing.
n Use sunscreens, but Dr. Tandon urges people not to rely on sunscreens because they are not 100 percent effective at shielding the suns rays.
n Try to stay out of the sun between the hours of 11a.m. and 5 p.m
Skin cancer rates have not changed much in the past 30 years. Skin cancer is 10 to 15 times more prevelant in fair skinned people with blue, green, or grey eyes. Also at risk are those that burn easily, and those that experienced a few bad burns as a child. 
There are some pre-cancerous signs that the general public should look out for. 
“The general public should look at their skin, especially people who in are in the sun a lot, or those who are vulnerable to it,” Dr. Tandon said. “Whenever you have any lesions in the coverered area, they are more dangerous and also the lesions on the neck and face are very dangerous. They are closer to the brain. You should also check your palms and soles, webs of fingers, under the nails, and also in the gums and mouth. People should look for any open sores that don’t go away, any red patches on the skin, or any shiny bumps. If there are any small pink growths or scars on the skin that do not go away and keep getting thicker, one should have those checked as well. Pre-cancerous skin lesions become 10-15 times more risky if found on the head and neck rather than on the hands and feet because they are closer to the brain.”
There are three types of skin cancer:
Basel Cell – more on exposed skin surfaces/direct sun contact. Every year, close to 1 million americans will get basel cell skin cancer within 1 year. Ninety percent of these basel cells are in light skinned individuals.
Squamous Cell – more often found in African Americans. These types of cells are more aggressive, and if not checked, tend to spread more rapidly to internal organs, lungs, brain and bone.
Melanoma – the most dangerous and deadly type of skin cancer. It can develop on any part of the body, however the arms, legs and trunk are the most common area of the body. When detected early, it is considered highly treatable
“You cannot tell farmers to stop working and get out of the sun,” Dr. Tandon said. “All caucasions should have most of their skin covered between the hours of 11a.m. to 5 p.m. Wear protective clothing, wear a hat to protect the scalp. Sunscreen lotions are protective, but not 100 percent. They give only mild protection. Anyone who burn easily, you are the person who should be least exposed to the sun directly. These are the ones that are vulnerable to melanoma. People should know clearly that sunscreen lotions are not a substitute for protection because even with sunscreen lotion you are not protected.  Farmers should protect their skin as much as they can by wearing light-colored clothing, and by wearing a straw or cloth hat in the farm fields. Farmers cannot help being exposed to the sun. By wearing a hat, this gives the face an umbrella of shade.”
Dr. Tandon has two office locations. His Bradford office is located at 8 North Center Street and his St. Marys office is located at 869 South St. Marys Street. Dr. Tandon can be reached in Bradford at 368-6929 and in St. Marys at 781-1400.