Posted: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 10:23 am

Middle Tennessee Medical Center and MTSU health services are providing free skin cancer screenings on June 12 from 9:30 a.m. to noon in the MTSU Student Health Services building located in the recreation center on MTSU’s campus.

“We hope to get participation from younger adults because we are seeing an increase in skin cancers in this age group,” said Jennifer Boling, manager of MTMC’s Regional Cancer Center. “Holding this screening on MTSU’s campus will make it more accessible to students.”

According to the American Cancer Society, the incidence of melanoma in the United States has been increasing during the past 30 years. It is widely thought that the increase in skin cancer over the past few decades is the consequence of changes in behavior that have resulted in increased exposure to solar UVR and use of indoor tanning booths in white young adult women. In 2009, 1,410 new cases of melanoma were reported in Tennessee.

The free screening is open to the public. To sign up for an appointment time call 615-396-5530.