Q&A with Dermatologist and Skin Cancer Expert Dr. Natalia Jaimes
Dr. Jaimes stresses the importance of early skin cancer prevention and detection efforts, including long-term care for people who have been diagnosed.
Natalia Jaimes, M.D., a physician and researcher at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, takes her time when examining patients. She performs full-body exams to look for signs of skin cancer and also engages them in conversations about their diet, lifestyle, exercise and sleep.
“Sometimes patients share things that may not seem directly related to their skin, like stress or emotional struggles. But these can be hidden triggers behind skin problems. From there, I can refer them to our lifestyle medicine program, a health coach or other support services at Sylvester,” said Dr. Jaimes, an associate professor in the Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at the Miller School. “Most of my medical encounters with patients are just fascinating. You open a door, and behind it lies an entire universe of stories, experiences and histories.”
Though her specialty is melanoma and other forms of skin cancer, Dr. Jaimes is currently involved in multiple projects to educate school students, physicians, nurses and even hairdressers about preventing skin cancer.
We chatted recently with Dr. Jaimes about her educational journey as well as her recommendations to patients for preventing skin cancer. The following interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
What led you to your research and clinical focus on skin cancer?
When I started medical school, I was fascinated with dermatology. Something just clicked. I instantly knew this was what I wanted to do. I loved that I could see what was happening with patients. And it wasn’t just the skin, but also their histories.
After graduating from medical school, I completed my first research fellowship with a dermatologist who focused on cutaneous oncology, specifically in Merkel cell carcinoma, and that’s what sparked my interest in skin cancer.
Following my residency in Medellin, Colombia, where I’m originally from, I attended a melanoma meeting that reignited my passion for skin cancer and sparked a growing curiosity for skin imaging. I became so interested that I reached out directly to the chief of dermatology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Dr. Allan Halpern, and ended up applying to a research fellowship. This led to a dedicated, two-year fellowship focused on pigmented lesions, melanoma, skin cancer imaging and early detection with great mentors.
What techniques do you use to diagnose skin cancer?
At Sylvester, we offer total-body photography and digital dermoscopy to enhance the surveillance of high-risk skin cancer patients. By documenting the majority of the skin, we can follow patients’ skin over time in a more objective way, so we can really tell what’s new or what’s changing. While total body photography isn’t new, it’s not widely available. Sylvester is one of only two centers in South Florida offering this technology, making it an important and in-demand resource for our community.
Sometimes patients share things that may not seem directly related to their skin, like stress or emotional struggles. But these can be hidden triggers behind skin problems.
Dr. Natalia Jaimes
Thanks to a generous gift from one of our patients, we have also updated our reflectance confocal microscope, which is a cutting-edge, noninvasive technology for early detection of skin cancer. Using this high-resolution microscope helps us see cellular and structural changes within the skin that may indicate skin cancer. So, it gives us greater diagnostic precision without the need for immediate biopsy.
We also used the gift to establish The Beyer Skin Cancer Prevention and Control Initiative to focus on skin cancer prevention.
What are the different types of skin cancer prevention the initiative promotes?
When it comes to skin cancer, prevention happens on three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary.
Primary prevention focuses on reducing risk before cancer develops, especially through public education. Since much of our lifetime sun exposure happens before we’re 20, at UM, we’re focusing on reaching children early, targeting schools and families to educate about skin cancer prevention. In Florida, where students spend a lot of time outdoors, sun safety is critical. As part of our prevention campaign, one simple but impactful measure is encouraging children to wear hats. We’re currently collaborating with schools to implement this change. It’s a small change that could make a lasting difference in protecting the next generation.
Secondary prevention means catching skin cancer early, when it’s small and treatable, so patients can avoid more aggressive therapies. Educating health care providers is key for early detection of skin cancer, which is why we offer regular courses in techniques such as dermoscopy for residents, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Our next step is expanding the net of early detection by training hairdressers to recognize suspicious lesions on their clients’ scalp and neck.
Finally, there’s tertiary prevention, which focuses on long-term care of those patients who have already had melanoma or other skin cancer. We’re currently leading a cohort study that follows melanoma survivors and their first-degree family members to monitor recurrence, evaluate other factors and support ongoing prevention.
What can patients do to help themselves with the early detection of skin cancer?
One of our early-detection efforts focuses on empowering patients to perform skin self-exams. We want to help people get to know their own skin so they can recognize what is new or changing—often the first signs of how skin cancer appears.
Patients can start with the scalp and ears, then move down the body, all the way to the feet. For hard-to-see areas like the back, rather than checking with a mirror, it is helpful to ask their partner to take a photo. Each month, they should compare the new photos with the previous baseline, like a real-life game of “spot the difference.”
They’re looking for anything new, meaning a spot that’s appeared and hasn’t gone away in three to four weeks or anything that’s changed in shape, color or form, even things that were flat and are getting raised. It is important to note that new or changing lesions can be of any color, including pink, black or brown.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love spending time with my family. I have two girls who are 9 and 12, and a husband, and we all like outdoor activities—hiking or being outdoors in nature. My favorite trips are to national parks and back to Colombia to see our families. Besides that, I love yoga and exercising, and I enjoy reading. One day, I’d love to improve my skills in healthy cooking beyond just making meals.
Tags: cancer research, dermatology, Dr. Natalia Jaimes, Dr. Philip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, Merkel cell carcinoma, skin cancer, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center