Khusela Ulusu Lwakho!

“Abantu abawazi umonakalo onokwenziwa lilanga . . . kwiDNA yolusu. Xa umkhulu lo monakalo unokubangela umhlaza wolusu ekuhambeni kwexesha.”—UGqr. Mark Birch-Machin, ingcali yomhlaza wolusu.

ULUSU lelona lungu lomzimba likhulu, lisisi-1,8 skwemitha kwinkoliso yamadoda nesi-1,6 skwemitha kumabhinqa amaninzi. Ngenxa yezivamvo ezikulo, ulusu luyakwazi ukuva iintlungu, luve xa luchukunyiswa luphinde luve nobushushu. Luyinto yokuqala ekhusela umzimba kubushushu, kwingqele, kwingozi nakwezinye izinto ezinokwenzakalisa umzimba njengemichiza nezinye izinto ezingcolileyo. Ulusu luthintela amanzi angangeni okanye aphume emzimbeni. Noko ke, ulusu lusenokwenzakaliswa lilanga. Kodwa ngaba ilanga aliyomfuneko ukuze ubani aphile?

Kunjalo kanye. Izityalo, thina esixhomekeke kuzo zifun’ ilanga ukuze zikhule. Ngaphezu koko, ukukhanya kwelanga okuncinane kubangel’ umzimba uvelise uvithamin D, ocola iityuwa zomzimba ezomeleza amathambo. Kodwa oku akuthethi kuthi ekubeni kufuneka ukukhanya okuncinane, kuluncedo gqitha ukufumana ukukhanya okuninzi. Ilanga livelisa imitha ekuthiwa yiultraviolet (UV), nto leyo enokubangela umonakalo ongenakunyangeka kulusu. Le yenye yezinto ezibangela ubani abe nemibimbi ngokukhawuleza.

Incwadi ethi Saving Your Skin ilumkisa ngengozi enkulu nangakumbi isithi: “Le mitha yonakalisa iDNA [imizila yemfuza elawula ukusebenza kweeseli, njengokuphindaphindana kweeseli], nto leyo enokudodobalisa amandla omzimba okuzikhusela kwizifo nenokuvelisa imichiza emzimbeni enokubangela ukuba ekugqibeleni ubani abe nomhlaza.” Bonke abantu bayakoyika ukuba nomhlaza. Kodwa uxhaphake kangakanani umhlaza wolusu? Ngaba kukho isizathu sokuxhalaba?

Umhlaza Wolusu—Ubhubhani Wezi Mini

IThe Merck Manual ithi lo ngowona mhlaza uxhaphakileyo ehlabathini. EUnited States, umntu omnye kwaba-6 okanye kwabasi-7 uba nohlobo oluthile lomhlaza wolusu. Kodwa eli nani liyanda. Ngokutsho kukaGqr. I. William Lane kwincwadi ethi The Skin Cancer Answer, “ngoku kuqikelelwa ukuba abantu abangama-50 ekhulwini abaneminyaka engamashumi amathandathu anesihlanu ubudala baya kuba nohlobo oluthile lomhlaza wolusu.” Imalignant melanoma ibulala abantu abanokuba ngama-7 500 ngonyaka kwelo lizwe yaye elo nani liyanda, ngokutsho kweAmerican Academy of Dermatology. Abantu abantsundu ngebala abafane babe nomhlaza wolusu, kodwa nabo basengozini.

Yintoni ebangele ukuba umhlaza wolusu ube sisifo esixhaphake kangaka? Ngoxa zininzi izizathu, njengokuphakama kommandla abantu abahlala kuwo nomgama ukususela kuloo ndawo ukusa kwi-Ikhweyitha, ubungakanani bamafu agqume ilanga nemeko yeozone layer, oyena nobangela oyintloko kukuchanabeka kwabantu gqitha elangeni. Abantu abasaphili ngendlela yangaphambili. Ukuya kwiholide ngaselwandle nokuzihlaziya kwimimandla engaphandle njengokunyuka ezintabeni nokutyibilika emkhenkceni kuye kwaxhaphaka kubantu ababeqhele ukusebenza ngaphakathi ezindlwini. Iifashoni zitshintshile. Nangona amadoda namabhinqa andilisekileyo ayenxiba iimpahla zokuqubha ezinde, ngoku iimpahla zokuqubha sezimfutshane gqitha, zivelisa inxalenye enkulu yomzimba. Ngendlela efanayo nomhlaza wolusu wandile. Akunakuba ama-Arabhu asentlango, anxiba imiwunduzo emide neminqwazi anento ethile ayaziyo esiye thina sayityeshela?

Umhlaza Wolusu—Ingozi Yokwenene

Ezona ndidi zomhlaza wolusu ziqhelekileyo zintathu zezi: ibasal cell carcinoma, isquamous cell carcinoma nemalignant melanoma. Ezi ndidi zimbini zokuqala, ziqala kulusu olungaphezulu, ngokuqhelekileyo oluyimilimitha enye kuphela ukutyeba. Ezi ndidi zomhlaza ingathi zibangelwa kukuzichanaba gqitha elangeni, njengakubantu abasebenza phandle, yaye phantse zibakho ngokukhethekileyo kumalungu omzimba atshiswa lilanga, njengobuso nezandla.a Oku kudla ngokuqala njengeqhuma elincinane okanye isilonda nje esiya sikhula, esidla ngokopha, yaye asipholi ngokupheleleyo. Sisenokudlulela nakwamanye amalungu omzimba akufutshane. Kubo bonke abantu abanomhlaza wolusu abangama-75 ekhulwini banebasal cell carcinoma. Nangona olu didi lomhlaza lungaxhaphakanga, isquamous cell carcinoma ngamaxesha amaninzi iyanwenwa de ihlasele namanye amalungu omzimba. Kubalulekile ukuba ezi ndidi zomhlaza zifunyaniswe zisaqala kuba ngoxa zinyangeka lula, zisenokubulala ukuba azinyangwa.

Imalignant melanoma, ekuthiwa iphatha abantu abasisi-5 ekhulwini sabo bonke abanomhlaza wolusu, nayo iqala kulusu olungaphezulu. Omnye woonobangela abayintloko wolu hlobo lomhlaza ingathi kukuchanabeka gqitha elangeni ngamaxesha athile, njengakwimeko yabantu abasebenza ngaphakathi baze batshiswe lilanga ngexesha leholide. Kubantu abanokuba sisiqingatha sabo banezi ndidi zomhlaza uqala kwiintsumpa, ingakumbi ezingasentla emqolo nasezantsi emilenzeni.

Olu lolona hlobo lomhlaza wolusu luyingozi kuba, ukuba alunyangwa lusaqala, lusenokuhlasela ulusu olungaphantsi, apho kukho imithambo namadlala. Emva koko usenokunwenwa ngokukhawuleza. UGqr. Larry Nathanson osisazi ngomhlaza wathi: “Okumangalisayo kukuba xa lo mhlaza unyangwe usaqala unyangeka lula. Kodwa ukuba uthe wanwenwa, awuva naloo mayeza okanye ukutshiswa.” Enyanisweni, ngabantu ababini okanye abathathu kuphela kwabalikhulu abaphila iminyaka emihlanu emva kokuba beye banolu hlobo lomhlaza waza wanwenwa. (Bona ibhokisi ekwiphepha 7 ukuze ufumane iimpawu zokuqala zalo mhlaza.)

Ngoobani abanokuba nomhlaza wolusu? Ukongezelela kubantu abakhe batshiswa gqitha lilanga ngexesha elithile abanolusu, iinwele namehlo akhanyayo, abaneentsumpa namachokoza, nabanelungu lentsapho elakhe lanesi sifo, basengozini engakumbi. Ambalwa amathuba okuba abantu abanolusu oluntsundu babe nomhlaza wolusu. Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba okukhona ulusu lwakho lusiba ntsundu ngenxa yokutshiswa lilanga, ambalwa amathuba okuba ube nomhlaza wolusu? Akunjalo, kuba nakuba ukuba ntsundu kukukhusela kwimitha yelanga, ulusu luyonakala kukutshiswa lilanga yaye ukulonakalisa ngokuphindaphindiweyo kwandisa amathuba okuba nomhlaza wolusu.

Ukunyanga Umhlaza Wolusu

Zininzi iindlela zokunyanga umhlaza wolusu: ukuwusika, ukuwutshisa ngenaliti yombane, ukuwukhenkcisa nokuwutshisa ngemitha, phofu ke, oku kuxhomekeke kuhlobo lwethumba, indawo elikuyo nobukhulu balo, indlela elinyangwe ngayo ngaphambili. Eyona nto inzima kukususa zonke iiseli ezinomhlaza. Inkqubo yokusika kusetyenziswa imikroskopu ebizwa ngokuba lutyando lukaMohs iyaphumelela ekupheliseni umhlaza okuthiwa yibasal cell nesquamous cell (lo mhlaza unyangeka ngomlinganiselo ongama-95 ukusa kuma-99 ekhulwini), yaye ngale ndlela kulondolozwa inyama enkulu ephilileyo kuze kubangele iziva ezincinane. Nakuba sekunjalo, kuye kufuneke ukuba kulungiswe inyama eseleyo.

IU.S. National Institute on Aging ithi: “Zonke iindidi zomhlaza wolusu bezinokunyangwa ukuba ugqirha unokwazi ngaphambi kokuba unwenwe.” Ngoko ke, kubalulekile ukuba ufunyanwe usaqala. Kodwa yintoni enokwenziwa ukuthintela umhlaza wolusu?

Funda Iindlela Zokuzikhusela Elangeni

Kubalulekile ukufundisa abantwana iindlela zokuzikhusela elangeni. Ngokutsho kweThe Skin Cancer Foundation, inkoliso ‘yabantu itshiswa lilanga kangangama-80 ekhulwini ngaphambi kokuba ibe neminyaka eli-18 ubudala. Idyungudyungu nje elinye elibangelwa kukutshiswa lilanga komntwana kuwandisa kabini amathuba okuba abe nomhlaza wolusu xa ekhulile.’ Oku kungenxa yokuba umhlaza wolusu usenokuthabatha iminyaka engama-20 nangaphezulu ukhula. (Bona ibhokisi ekwiphepha 8 ukuze ufumane amacebiso ngeendlela zokuzikhusela elangeni.)

IOstreliya yeyona inabantu abaninzi abanomhlaza wolusu—ingakumbi, imelanoma.b Oku kungenxa yokuba eli lizwe linabantu abaninzi abamhlophe ababevela kumazwe aseNtshona Yurophu, yaye inkoliso yabo ihlala ngaselunxwemeni lolwandle, kwiindawo ezinelanga elitshisa gqitha. Uhlolisiso olwenziwe kwaba bantu basemzini lubonisa ukuba abo bafike eOstreliya beselula, ngabona bachanabeke ngamandla kwimelanoma, nto leyo ethetha ukuba bafanele bafundiswe iindlela zokuzikhusela elangeni beselula. Urhulumente waseOstreliya uye waqalisa ukubafundisa ngamandla abantu ngeengozi zelanga, ngokubakhuthaza ukuba banxibe izikipa, bathwale iminqwazi baze bathambise amafutha okubakhusela elangeni. Ezi nguqulelo zincinane kwindlela yokuphila zifeza lukhulu ekuthinteleni imelanoma kubantu abaselula kwelo lizwe.

Kububulumko ukusebenzisa amafutha okuthintela imitha yelanga ekuthiwa yiUVA neUVB. Oku kubalulekile nakwiintsuku ezinamafu ngenxa yokuba ama-85 ekhulwini emitha yelanga ekuthiwa yiultraviolet isenokugqobhozela ngaphaya kwelanga. Le mitha isenokugqobhoza nasemanzini. Zimbi iingcali zikhuthaza ukuba ubani asebenzise amafutha okuthintela ilanga ubuncinane anomlinganiselo oli-SPF 15. Ukuze ufumanise ukuba la mafutha anokukukhusela kangakanani na, phindaphinda inani lemizuzu uselangeni nge-15. Amafutha okuthintela ilanga afanele aphinde athanjiswe ubuncinane emva kweeyure ezimbini, kodwa oku akuthethi kuthi aya kukukhusela ixesha elide ngokuphindaphindiweyo.

Ngapha koko, iThe Skin Cancer Answer ilumkisa ngelithi, ungaziqhathi ucinge ukuba ukhuselekile kuba nje usebenzisa amafutha okuzikhusela elangeni. Akakho amafutha okuthintela ilanga anokukukhusela ngokupheleleyo ekutshisweni lilanga, yaye akuthethi kuthi la mafutha aya kukukhusela kumhlaza wolusu. Enyanisweni, ukusebenzisa amafutha okuthintel’ ilanga ngandlel’ ithile kunokuwandisa amathuba okuba nomhlaza wolusu—ukuba oku kukwenza uhlale elangeni ixesha elide. Le ncwadi ithi: “Akukho nto ingaphezu kokuhlala uzikhusela ekutshisweni lilanga. Ukunxiba iimpahla ezinokukukhusela nokuhlala endlwini xa ilanga litshisa ngamandla kugqalwa njengezona ndlela zisebenzayo zokuthintela ukuba nomhlaza wolusu.”

Kuthekani ngokutshintsha ibala phakathi endlwini, ngezibane neebhedi zokutshintsha ibala? Imizuzu nje engama-20 kwindawo yokutshintsha ibala kuthiwa oku kusenokuba kuyafana nokuhlala elangeni iiyure ezine. Ukutshintsha ibala usendlwini kwakucingwa ukuba kokona kukhuselekileyo ekubeni kusetyenziswa imitha iultraviolet kuphela, nto leyo ekubonakala ngathi ayitshisi. Kodwa iThe Skin Cancer Answer ithi: “Ngoku kuyaziwa ukuba iUV-A ilutshisa ngakumbi ulusu kuneUV-B, nto leyo enokubangela umhlaza wolusu ize yonakalise namandla omzimba okuzihlaziya.” Kolunye uhlolisiso ekuthethwe ngalo kwiThe Miami Herald esasazwa ehlabathini lonke kuthiwa amabhinqa aya kwiindawo zokutshintsha ibala kanye ngenyanga okanye ngaphezulu “andisa amathuba okuba nemelanoma ngama-55 ekhulwini.”

Ngenxa yoko, kubaluleke gqitha ukuba sikulumkele ukutshiswa lilanga. Khumbula ukuba, ukuba utshiswe lilanga namhlanje oko kusenokukubangela ube nomhlaza wolusu kwiminyaka engama-20 okanye ngaphezulu kwixesha elizayo. Abanye baye bajamelana njani nengxaki yokuba nomhlaza wolusu, yaye yintoni ebancedileyo?

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

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IIMPAWU EZIYINTLOKO ZOMNTU ONOMHLAZA WOLUSU

1. Inkoliso yeentsumpa zemelanoma azilingani (amacala amabini akafani). Iintsumpa eziqhelekileyo zingqukuva yaye ziyalingana.

2. Ungqameko lweentsumpa zemelanoma ngokuqhelekileyo azilungelelananga yaye zisenokungafani apha elungqamekweni. Intsumpa eqhelekileyo igudile yaye inongqameko olulungeleleneyo.

3. Iimpawu zokuqala zemelanoma kukuba nentsumpa enebala elimdaka, ibe mthubi, okanye ibe mnyama. Njengokuba ixesha lihamba lo mbala usenokuba bomvu, ube mhlophe okanye ube luhlaza. Ngokuqhelekileyo intsumpa iba nebala elinye elimdaka.

4. Xa imelanoma iqala idla ngokukhula ibe nkulu kunentsumpa eqhelekileyo (isenokuba ziimilimitha ezi-6).

[Inkcazelo]

Umthombo: The Skin Cancer Foundation

Iindidi zomhlaza: Images courtesy of the Skin Cancer Foundation, New York, NY, www.skincancer.org

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AMACEBISO OKUKHUSELA ULUSU LWAKHO

1. Musa ukuba selangeni ixesha elide, ingakumbi phakathi kweye-10:00 kusasa neye-4:00 emva kwemini, kuba ezo zezona yure zinemitha yelanga eyingozi ekuthiwa yiultraviolet.

2. Hlola ulusu lwakho ukususela entloko ukusa eluzwaneni ubuncinane kanye kwiinyanga ezintathu.

3. Xa uphandle, sebenzisa amafutha okuzikhusela elangeni anamandla e-SPF 15 nangaphezulu. Wanyhibhele la mafutha imizuzu engama-30 ngaphambi kokuba ube selangeni nasemva kweeyure ezimbini emva koko. (Amafutha okuzikhusela elangeni akafanele athanjiswe ziintsana ezingaphantsi kweenyanga ezintandathu ubudala.)

4. Fundisa abantwana bakho bazikhusele kakuhle elangeni beselula, kuba umonakalo osenokubangela umhlaza wolusu kumntu omdala uqala ebuntwaneni.

5. Nxiba iimpahla ezinokukukhusela njengebhulukhwe ende, ihempe enemikhono emide, umnqwazi onomphetho omkhulu neendondo zelanga ezinokukukhusela kwimitha yelanga iultraviolet.