According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1.1 million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year - as many as all the cases of prostate, breast, lung, colon, uterine, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers combined. The good news is that the cure rate for skin cancer is nearly 100 percent - if it's caught early.

Prevention is the key, so wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 every day, regardless of the weather, stay out of the sun during mid-day (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.), cover up with a wide-brimmed hat and dark clothing, and wear sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB radiation.

Early detection increases the cancer survival rate dramatically, so do a regular self-check of your entire body. Note any new moles or changes to existing ones and tell your dermatologist. Use a handheld mirror and wall mirror to view your back and the backs of your legs. However, skin cancer can sometimes appear as flesh-colored abnormalities that may go unnoticed, so you should also be examined by your dermatologist regularly.

Skin cancers are divided into two groups: melanomas and non-melanomas. You should know what both types look like so you can find them at the earliest possible stage, when they are most easily cured. Non-melanomas are the most common type of skin cancer and include basal cell cancers and squamous cell cancers. They are most often found in areas that get a lot of sun exposure such as the head, neck, and arms. Look for new growths, spots, bumps, patches, or sores that don't heal after two to three months. Melanoma is much less common than basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers, but it can be far more serious. Like basal cell and squamous cell cancers, melanoma is almost always curable in its early stages; however, it is much more likely to spread to other parts of the body, where it can be very hard to treat. Melanoma tumors are often brown or black and usually appear as an irregularly shaped mole that may contain several different shades of brown and black.

According to the American Cancer Society, you need to be especially careful in the sun if you:

• have lots of moles, irregular moles, or large moles
• have freckles and burn before tanning
• have fair skin or blond, red, or light brown hair
• were previously treated for skin cancer
• have a family history of skin cancer, especially melanoma
• live or vacation at high altitudes (UV radiation increases 4% to 5% for every 1,000 feet above sea level)
• live or vacation in tropical or subtropical climates
• work indoors all week and then get a tan on weekends
• spend a lot of time outdoors
• have certain autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, or "lupus")
• have had an organ transplant
• take medicines that lower your immunity
• take oral contraceptives (birth control pills)
• take tetracycline, sulfa drugs or certain other antibiotics
• take tricyclic antidepressants
• take thiazide diuretics (medicines used for high blood pressure and some heart conditions)
• take sulfonylureas (a form of oral anti-diabetic medication)

Ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about the risk of any medicines you may be taking that could be harmful to you if you are exposed to sunlight.

The American Cancer Society recommends using the "ABCD rule" to spot early signs of skin cancer. Look for, and report to your dermatologist, any of the following:

• Asymmetry: One half of a mole or birthmark does not match the other.
• Border: The edges are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred.
• Color: The color is not the same all over and may include shades of brown or black, sometimes with patches of red, white, or blue.
• Diameter: The spot is larger than 6 millimeters across (about ¼ inch - the size of a pencil eraser) or is growing larger.

Other warning signs include:

• a sore that does not heal
• a new growth
• spread of pigment from the border of a spot to surrounding skin
• redness or a new swelling beyond the border
• a change in sensation - itchiness, tenderness, or pain
• a change in the surface of a mole - scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or the appearance of a bump or nodule.