HARMFUL RAYS
Reminding ranchers how and why they should protect themselves by Managing Editor Stevie Ipsen Known for their trademark jeans, long sleeved shirts and cowboy hats, it may come as a surprise to some that cattlemen and women are still some of the most at-risk individuals facing the real possibility of skin cancer. While it isn’t a first-in-line topic that many ranchers consider among their long list of worries, perhaps it should be something more of them are aware of. According to a 2019 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 5 million people are treated for skin cancer each year in the United States. Agricultural and construction workers (ACWs) may be at increased risk for skin cancer because of high levels of ultraviolet radiation exposure from the sun. This is the first study that uses nationally representative data to assess sunprotection behaviors among ACWs. Most of the 2,298 agricultural and construction workers studied were male (by industry, 72.4 percent in agriculture and 89.3 percent in construction; by occupation, 66.1 percent in agriculture and 95.6 percent in construction) and non-Hispanic white. About one-third had at least one sunburn in the past year. The prevalence of sunscreen use and shade seeking was low and did not significantly differ among groups, ranging from 15.1 percent to 21.4 percent for sunscreen use and 24.5 percent to 29.1 percent for shade seeking. The prevalence of wearing protective clothing was significantly higher among agricultural workers than among construction workers by industry (70.9 percent versus 50.7 percent) and occupation (70.5 percent versus 53.0 percent). The aged-old term “farmer’s tan” may no longer be as appealing as it once was and ranchers, both male and female should refrain from shedding layers as the sun’s rays get hot during the day. It is important to keep from exposing any skin to the sun.
A WAKE UP CALL FOR US ALL There is a popular misnomer that the more pale your skin is, the more deadline the sun’s rays. But as one California family knows all too well, that is not always the case. On July 7, Tulare County friends and family said goodbye to a cowboy they all loved. David Caetano, just 36 years old, passed away on July 1 after a battle with melanoma. Family friend Sally Dudley Baker said what is 48 California Cattleman September 2020
speculated to have possibly started as a simple spot on his neck, ultimately took his life. “Being of Portuguese descent, David was stunning with dark skin, hair and eyes,” Baker said. “For those of us who work daily out in the sun, we need a reminder of the ravages of melanoma. If we can make people aware, maybe David didn’t die in vain.” Though David’s story is a sad one to tell, perhaps the harsh reality of his situation will inspire other cattlemen and women of all ages to take a proactive approach to their health. For David, the battle was a whirlwind. His initial symptoms in January 2020 led him to believe he may have strained his back. Despite several weeks of weight loss and at the encouragement from loved ones to see a doctor, David’s initial hospital visit – via ambulance – happened after he passed out at work in late February. From there he was transferred to UC San Francisco to have a stage IV tumor removed from his cerebellum. With follow up treatment, David’s friends and family were hopeful he would beat the deadly disease. But only six months from his initial symptoms, David succumbed to terminal melanoma. While many mistakingly consider melanoma to be a simple skin cancer that can just be burned or cut off of the surface of the skin, melanoma currently kills just over two people per hour in the United States. Some other interesting facts that may have spurred David’s decision to seek treatment or implement preventative measures are that: • 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70. • Half of all adults aged 18-29 report at least one sunburn in the past 12 months. Sustaining five or more sunburns in youth increases lifetime melanoma risk by 80 percent. • When detected early, melanoma has a 99 percent survival rate. • Men age 49 and under have a higher probability of developing melanoma than any other cancer. • From ages 15 to 39, men are 55 percent more likely to die of melanoma than women in the same age group. • Women age 49 and under are more likely to develop melanoma than any other cancer except breast and thyroid cancers. David’s girlfriend Samantha Hilvers said David’s situation is unique because unlike symptoms one might expect from skin cancer, David’s cancer used a sneak attack on his body. But stubborn, as many ranchers are, Hilvers said David persisted through the pain, thinking it was only a result of the physically demanding work he did routinely. Following his ...CONTINUED ON PAGE 50
