Most brown spots, rough bumps and
persistent lumps on the skin are not skin cancer. Some are related to sun exposure and some
merely represent normal skin aging.
Education regarding signs and symptoms of skin cancers can help people
identify suspicious skin lesions. DR.
PHILLIP LEE will discuss the typical features of skin cancers and features of
the most common types of harmless spots, bumps, and growths. He will also discuss the various options
available for treatment of these skin lesions.
Skin cancer is the most common
type of cancer. It is estimated that
over 3.5 million non-melanoma cases are diagnosed every year.* The three most
common types of skin cancer are basal cell skin cancer, squamous cell skin
cancer, and melanoma. While melanoma is
the least common of the three, it is the most deadly. The American Cancer Society estimates that
over 76,000 new melanomas will be diagnosed and over 9000 people are expected
to die of melanoma in 2013. Diligent sun
protection can help prevent skin cancers and screening for skin cancers can
help diagnose skin cancers at their earliest stages.
Phillip H. A.
Lee, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in medical,
surgical and cosmetic dermatology. Nominated by his local peers, he received
the Pasadena Magazine Top Doctors Award
in Dermatology. Born in Glendale and raised in Pasadena, Dr. Lee earned his
undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, graduating summa cum
laude in biology. He earned his medical degree at the University of California,
San Diego School of Medicine. He received a laboratory research fellowship at
the VA Medical Center in La Jolla, CA after which he went on to complete
dermatology residency at the UC San Diego Medical Center. He served as chief
resident during his final year of residency.
Dr. Lee is part of the volunteer faculty of University of Southern
California, Department of Dermatology. For his teaching, the dermatology
residents awarded him the Outstanding Teaching Award in Medical
Dermatology. In addition to English, Dr.
Lee, who happens to be half Chilean, also speaks fluent Spanish.
