Risky Tans

Overview

When a student’s sister is diagnosed with skin cancer, the student chooses it for a science fair topic. She works to develop a project that increases the awareness of the risks of indoor tanning and the increase in skin cancer and plans to test its effectiveness.

Learning Objectives

To better understand the effects of ultraviolet radiation from indoor tanning methods such as tanning beds and sun lamps and their link to increasing rates of skin cancer, students should be able to:

Explain how UV rays can cause skin cancer.
Describe different types of skin cancer.
Explain the ABDCEs of skin cancer.
Design an interventional strategy for teens to increase awareness of the dangers of indoor tanning.
Develop a plan to test the effectiveness of the designed strategy and implement the plan.
Analyze the data from the evaluation plan and report results.

Scenario

“Cancer? Jessie has cancer? Mom,

how did this happen?”

You can’t believe it! Your sister is only

19 years old! OK, you know that young

people, even children can get cancer, but

skin cancer? Skin cancer is something

that older people get, not 19 year olds! You know that Grandpa had some moles cut off last year and they found out they were cancer, but Grandpa is old and had a job for years that was an “outside job” which exposed him to the sun almost every day.

Now, your sister has skin cancer? How did this happen?

“The doctor said that cases of melanoma—skin cancer—have been on the rise in teens,” your mom explains.

“The doctor also said there is a link between tanning bed use and increasing skin cancers. Your dad and I should never have let her go to the tanning salon! She always wanted to go before homecoming, for prom, and then during winter off and on. We should have never let her go.”

You knew that your sister had been going to the doctor a few times lately. You knew that she had some moles taken off the skin over her stomach, but you didn’t know there was anything more to it. Now that the cancer was showing up in other places, your parents thought you had to know.

You hadn’t thought anything about Jessie going to a tanning salon. Your mom even said that you could go next year. That was probably not going to happen now, but now you don’t want to go anyway! You just hope your sister gets better.

Your sister said that worrying about how she looked and wanting a tan to look better got her into this trouble. Now, she has stitches and scars from having the cancer removed. She tells you that she doesn’t care how it looks, she just doesn’t want to have skin cancer.

You know some of your friends go to

tanning salons with their moms. You think

about that science project you have to do

and now you know exactly what it should

be about! You are going to find out about

skin cancer and if there is any link to

getting tans from tanning salons. You know that your parents and your sister thought it was a safer way to tan. But, is that true?

Your science project has to be about a health issue and you have to produce an informative pamphlet, poster, or other display. The projects will be displayed around the school during Health Week so that other students can learn about health risks and how to avoid them.

It sounds like a perfect topic. You want to help your sister. Maybe by finding out more about skin cancer and the risks you will know a little more about what she is going through. She’ll be able to talk to you about it because you’ll understand it more.

You also want to warn other friends about the risks. If more people knew about the risks, maybe they could avoid them.

Your Tasks

Find out what melanoma is, how it occurs, and how it is treated.
Be ready to explain it to your teacher and classmates for your science project. Make sure you investigate the topic thoroughly.
Prepare an informational pamphlet, chart, or poster on melanoma. (Your teacher may have other requirements.)
Be ready to answer the guiding questions in this module.
Test the effectiveness of your design by gathering comments from students about how effective it was in informing them of the dangers of tanning.

Guiding questions:

What is melanoma? How serious is this condition?
What are some risk factors of developing melanoma? How can you avoid developing skin cancer?
How is melanoma treated? What is the success rate for curing melanoma?
How can you help your sister while she deals with the diagnosis of skin cancer and treatments she has to have? How can you help your parents?
What do you think about your sister wanting a tan to look better and now she has skin cancer? What will you tell your classmates in your presentation about how to avoid skin cancer?

6. Do your think your informative presentation (poster, charts, etc) made a difference in informing people of the risks of skin cancer?

What kinds of comments did you receive about your presentation?

Do you think you could have done anything differently that might be more effective? Explain.

Support material for this module includes:

The Largest Organ of Your Body

What Is Melanoma?

Skin Cancer: Risks Factors and Prevention

The ABCDEs of Skin Cancer

Internet Resources-Skin Cancer

A sad teen girl sits in a corner leaning against the walls.