FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mount Sinai Health System Experts Share Skin Cancer Tips and Patient Stories for Skin Cancer Awareness Month and Melanoma Monday

Newswise — (New York – April 15, 2016) – Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with one in five Americans developing it over the course of their lives. It’s also one of the most preventable types of cancers. In recognition of May’s Skin Cancer Awareness Month and Melanoma Monday on May 2nd, Mount Sinai Health System experts are arming the public with vital tips on prevention and offering FREE skin cancer screenings.

Experts Available for Interview• Mark G. Lebwohl, MD, Sol and Clara Kest Professor of Dermatology, Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Professor and Chair of the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai • Andrew Alexis, MD, Chairman, Department of Dermatology, Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai St. Luke’s• Hooman Khorasani, MD, Chief, Reconstructive, and Cosmetic Surgery, The Mount Sinai Hospital and Assistant Professor of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai• Desiree Ratner, MD, Director, Comprehensive Skin Cancer Program, Mount Sinai Beth Israel and Professor of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai• Orit Markowitz, MD, Director of Pigmented Lesions and Skin Cancer, The Mount Sinai Hospital and Assistant Professor of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

“Fortunately, most skin cancers, even melanoma, can be cured and treated when detected early,” says Dr. Lebwohl. “Knowing your own skin is the key to discovering skin cancer early on. See a dermatologist for a skin check if you notice a spot, mole or lump on your body that is changing, growing or bleeding.”Facts ● Melanoma is the number one fastest growing cancer in men and number two in women.● Basal cell carcinoma is the most common kind of skin cancer and if caught early it has a cure rate approaching 100 percent.● Exposure to tanning beds can increase the risk of melanoma.

Tips for Skin Cancer Prevention ● Get an annual checkup: Annual dermatology visits to monitor changes in your skin and your child’s are just as important as annual physicals and regular trips to the dentist. Nearly 50 percent of UV exposure occurs between the ages of 19 – 40. ● Wear sunblock every day: Sunblock is not just for the summer. You should apply an SPF of 30 or more to all exposed skin thoroughly – your body, eyes, lips, ears and feet – every day, year-round. Re-apply approximately every two hours, even on cloudy days.● Never plan to sunbathe: You might not immediately realize the damage you’re doing by intentionally soaking up the sun, because it takes 10-20 years for skin damage to catch up with you, but sun dissolves the collagen and elastin in your skin which keeps it healthy.● Avoid tanning beds: Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling.● Wear protective clothing: Long-sleeved shirts, pants and a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses whenever possible.● Watch your brown spots and freckles: Do self-skin checks every month. If you have a lot of brown spots, talk to your dermatologist about total body photography so your doctor can keep a photographic record of your moles and watch closely for any change. ● Follow the ABCDEs: Tell your dermatologist if your moles have: • Asymmetry, where one half of the mole is different from the other half;• Borders that are irregular, scalloped or poorly defined;• Color that varies from one area to another, with shades of tan and brown, black, sometimes white, red or blue; • Diameters that are the size of a pencil eraser (6mm) or larger; however some melanomas can be smaller• Evolving, when a mole or skin lesion looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape and colorNew Skin Cancer Treatment Without Surgical Biopsy Available at Mount Sinai:Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging modality that can visualize skin structure, and has been proven useful in evaluating the degree of sun damage in skin and identifying pre-cancerous lesions. Through the use of non-ablative lasers, Mount Sinai’s Dr. Markowitz, is one of the only experts in the U.S. using the device. She has been able to successfully treat — without cutting — both early and even more advanced non-melanoma skin cancers using OCT technology.

According to Dr. Markowitz, non-melanoma skin cancers are not as deadly as melanoma but they are the most common type of cancer and frequently occur in cosmetically sensitive areas such as the face. Therefore, the possibility of using noninvasive lasers to both diagnose and treat without cutting is very appealing to patients. The advantages to using OCT are improved comfort, greater convenience and less scarring.

Free Skin Cancer Screenings: Mount Sinai West, Wednesday, May 11th, 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 425 W. 59th Street, Suite 5C Mount Sinai Skin and Laser Center, Thursday, May 5th, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at 234 E. 85th Street, 5th floorMount Sinai St. Luke’s, Thursday, May 12th, 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 1090 Amsterdam Avenue, Suite 11D Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Phillips Ambulatory Care Center, Wednesday, May 4th, 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 10 Union Square East, Suite 3C About the Mount Sinai Health SystemThe Mount Sinai Health System is an integrated health system committed to providing distinguished care, conducting transformative research, and advancing biomedical education. Structured around seven hospital campuses and a single medical school, the Health System has an extensive ambulatory network and a range of inpatient and outpatient services—from community-based facilities to tertiary and quaternary care.The System includes approximately 6,100 primary and specialty care physicians; 12 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 140 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the renowned Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the highest in the nation in National Institutes of Health funding per investigator. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked as one of the nation’s top 10 hospitals in Geriatrics, Cardiology/Heart Surgery, and Gastroenterology, and is in the top 25 in five other specialties in the 2015-2016 “Best Hospitals” issue of U.S. News & World Report. Mount Sinai’s Kravis Children’s Hospital also is ranked in seven out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked 11th nationally for Ophthalmology, while Mount Sinai Beth Israel is ranked regionally.For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.