Michele Kutner noticed a strange mark on her face shortly before her 50th reunion at Glen Cove High School. She decided to wait until after the reunion to have it checked.
Then she got a call telling her to come in right away.
Kutner, a lifelong Glen Cove resident, was diagnosed with melanoma in 2023, when she was 69. She said she underwent five Slow Mohs procedures as doctors worked to remove the cancer. The procedure is a modified, staged skin cancer removal technique that uses overnight or multi-day permanent laboratory processing instead of rapid frozen sections.
The melanoma affected the right side of her face and extended toward her eye, Kutner said. She later underwent reconstructive surgery, which included taking tissue from her arm and grafting it onto her face.
Now 72, Kutner said she is doing well, and returns for examinations every three months. Since her diagnosis, she has thought about the years she spent in the sun when she was younger.
“I remember all the days at the beach and baby oil,” Kutner said. “If I could do it all over again, I would never sit in the sun.”
Residents will have an opportunity to have their skin checked for free on Oct. 9, when Dr. Eve Lupenko conducts skin cancer screenings at the Glen Cove Senior Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Lupenko, a board-certified dermatologist with more than 25 years of experience, said some people put off seeing a dermatologist because of the cost or because they have difficulty getting to an office.
“A lot of people, they can’t afford the copays to go see a dermatologist,” Lupenko said. “They don’t have transportation to see a dermatologist.”
Lupenko, who practices at Greenberg Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology in Woodbury, said she takes part in a free screening at least once a year.
“I come in at least once per year to do a free skin cancer screening for people who are not able to get to a dermatologist’s office or who can’t afford it,” she said.
The screenings are open to people of any age, although a guardian must accompany minors. Exams are conducted in private, and participants can have a particular spot checked or opt for a full-body examination.
For a full examination, Lupenko said she checks from the scalp down to the feet.
“I usually have people stand up first and I check the backside of them while they’re standing,” she said. “Then when they sit down, I look scalp to toes.”
Lupenko said the scalp and feet are important to check because suspicious spots in those areas can be missed.
After the examination, participants receive paperwork noting any lesions Lupenko found and whether she recommends following up with a dermatologist or having a biopsy. They can take that information to any dermatologist they choose.
“They’re able to see any dermatologist,” Lupenko said. “It’s not that I’m pushing my office, but they can see any dermatologist.”
How often someone should see a dermatologist for a skin examination depends on the person’s medical history and risk factors, Lupenko said. Someone who has previously had skin cancer may need to be checked more frequently. People with a history of melanoma or a strong family history of it may initially need examinations every three months, she said.
Sun exposure is not the only factor doctors consider when assessing melanoma risk. Lupenko said genetics and family history can also play a role.
She also warned that people who spend relatively little time outdoors can still expose themselves to harmful amounts of ultraviolet radiation during vacations or other periods of intense sun exposure.
“Maybe they’re not out in the sun every day,” Lupenko said. “But they fry a couple of times a year, and that might increase the risk of skin cancer.”
Lupenko said sun protection should not be limited to summer. She recommends protecting the skin throughout the year and using protective clothing to reduce exposure.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, about one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70. When melanoma is detected and treated before it spreads to the lymph nodes, the five-year survival rate is 99 percent.
The Oct. 9 screenings will be held at the Glen Cove Senior Center, 130 Glen St., and are available by appointment only. To make an appointment, call Lisa at (516) 364-8200 and mention the free skin cancer screening.
“After a beautiful summer in which many of us have spent extended periods of time in the sun, it’s so important to make sure you’re up to date on your skin cancer screenings — especially as we age and deal with the challenges that come with a lifetime of sun exposure,” Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton said.
