Skin Cancer Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. You notice that a spot has changed in size and color over several months. What is the most appropriate response?
Photograph it and wait until it becomes painful
Arrange an evaluation with a dermatologist or qualified clinician
Treat it with an over-the-counter wart remover
Assume it is harmless if it is smaller than a pencil eraser
2. A sore repeatedly crusts or bleeds and has not healed after several weeks. What should you do?
Wait for it to become much larger before seeking advice
Keep covering it with cosmetics until it disappears
Conclude that it cannot be serious because it resembles a minor injury
Have it assessed by a qualified clinician
3. Which is the most common type of skin cancer?
Merkel cell carcinoma
Melanoma
Basal cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma
4. You will be outdoors for several hours around midday. Which plan offers the most complete UV protection?
Wear a hat but leave the rest of the skin unprotected
Use sunscreen once, then rely on it without seeking shade or reapplying
Combine shade, protective clothing, and correctly applied broad-spectrum sunscreen
Stay in direct sun but cool the skin regularly with water
5. What does “broad-spectrum” mean on a sunscreen label?
It remains effective for an entire day
It is suitable for every skin condition
It protects against both UVA and UVB radiation
It blocks all visible and ultraviolet light
6. A mole has recently become uneven in shape, with one half unlike the other. Which ABCDE warning sign does this illustrate?
Asymmetry
Border irregularity
Color variation
Diameter
7. During a self-check, one mole looks noticeably different from all your other moles. Which principle makes this worth attention?
The “ugly duckling” sign
The SPF principle
The Fitzpatrick skin-type rule
The vitamin D threshold
8. A clinician examines a suspicious skin lesion. Which method is generally used to confirm whether it is cancerous?
Measuring the lesion's surface temperature
Checking whether sunscreen changes its appearance
Assessing pain level alone
Removing a tissue sample for laboratory examination
9. What does a sunscreen's SPF number primarily describe?
Its relative protection against UVB-related sunburn when used correctly
Its level of protection against visible light
How many hours it remains effective without reapplication
The percentage of all ultraviolet radiation it blocks
10. It is cool and overcast, but you will spend most of the day outside. Which statement is most accurate?
Clouds eliminate UV exposure, so protection is unnecessary
UV radiation can pass through clouds, so sun protection may still be needed
Sunscreen is needed on cloudy days only at high altitude
UV exposure matters only when the skin feels hot
11. Melanoma begins in which type of cell?
Fibroblasts, which help form connective tissue
Melanocytes, which produce pigment
Keratinocytes, which make up much of the epidermis
Adipocytes, which store fat
12. Which exposure is a major preventable cause of skin cancer?
Chlorine in swimming pools
Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight and tanning devices
Frequently having dry skin
Eating foods that contain refined sugar
13. When performing a skin self-check, which approach is most thorough?
Inspect only moles that are already raised
Examine only areas that commonly become sunburned
Check the entire skin surface, including the scalp, soles, between toes, and other hard-to-see areas
Focus exclusively on spots wider than a pencil eraser
14. What is known about severe, blistering sunburns, particularly earlier in life?
They affect only short-term comfort and not later skin health
They protect against future burns by permanently thickening the skin
They matter only if they leave a visible scar
They are associated with an increased risk of melanoma later in life
15. A friend suggests using a tanning bed to build a protective “base tan” before a holiday. What is the best-informed response?
Indoor tanning is harmless when the skin does not burn
A base tan prevents later UV damage if it is developed gradually
Tanning beds are safer than sunlight because their UV intensity is controlled
A base tan provides little protection, and tanning-device UV exposure can damage skin and increase cancer risk
16. A person with deeply pigmented skin notices a new dark streak beneath a fingernail that is not explained by an injury. Which statement is accurate?
Skin cancer can occur in any skin tone, so an unexplained changing mark should be assessed
Natural skin pigmentation rules out melanoma
Only spots on regularly sun-exposed skin can be cancerous
A mark beneath a nail is relevant only if it causes severe pain