The process of detecting skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in the United States, can be practiced with a monthly self examination combined with a yearly visit to your doctor. Early detection is key because, if diagnosed soon enough, skin cancer is almost always curable.
There are three main types of skin cancer, all of which are visible if you know what to look for. Melanoma, one of the main forms of skin cancer, is the deadliest. This disease is the most difficult to stop after it has spread throughout the body, which is why early detection and treatment are crucial. Skin cancer, of any kind, can usually be treated with success in it’s early stages.
As individuals, everyone has freckles, birthmarks and moles. These are a part of you and you are used to seeing them, but you may not notice slight changes right away and that’s what you need to be watching for. Any change in a mole’s shape, edges, size or color should be checked by a physician. If a mole becomes larger than that of a pencil eraser or if it’s color is multiple shades of brown rather than a solid color, these are both potential warning signs of skin cancer. A mole’s border should be well defined and, if that is no longer the case, notify your doctor. In addition, any sore that will not heal or a mole that grows larger at a rapid speed should be tested immediately.
Deciding to seek medical attention is difficult. For this reason, it’s best to choose a physician that you are comfortable with, such as a family doctor. He/she can examine your skin and refer you to a dermatologist if needed. The presence of skin cancer is determined by removing all, or part, of the questionable area and testing it with a microscope. Surgery is often utilized in the removal of ski cancer and, if done in the early stages, can be a very quick process. There will likely be a scar, but the physician may be able to completely remove all cancerous cells with only a very small incision.
If the cancer has spread, or is very large in the defined area, additional surgery may be required. In that case, chemotherapy or radiation treatments may be ordered to ensure the cancer is completely removed. Your physician will be able to answer all questions that you may have and should do so without reserve. When meeting with a doctor, ask for an explanation of all treatment options, including their likelihood for success in your particular case. Deciding to seek medical attention is a big step and one that a patient must be mentally prepared for.
This article should not be construed as professional medical advice. If you, or someone that you know, is concerned about the possibility of cancer, you should seek medical attention immediately. A medical doctor can discuss various options, prevention and treatment possibilities should the presence of cancer be detected. A series of tests may be conducted in order to confirm, or rule out, any such diagnosis and can only be done by a medical doctor.
Melanoma is a malignant tumor predominantly found in the skin but can be found elsewhere, especially the eye. The vast majority of melanomas originate in the skin. Melanomas are the most lethal form of skin cancer. As with most forms of cancer, earlier detection gives patients a better chance of survival.
Epidemiologic studies from Australia suggest that exposure to ultraviolet radiation is one of the major contributors to the development of melanoma. Occasional extreme sun exposure resulting in a sunburn is causally related to melanoma. Those with more chronic long term exposure (outdoor workers) may develop protective mechanisms. Melanoma is most common on the back in men and on legs in women (areas of intermittent sun exposure) and is more common in indoor workers than outdoor workers (in a British study). Other factors are mutations in or total loss of tumor suppressor genes. Use of sunbeds with deeply penetrating UVA rays has been linked to the development of skin cancers, including melanoma.
Possible significant elements in determining risk include the intensity and duration of sun exposure, the age at which sun exposure occurs, and the degree of skin pigmentation. Exposure during childhood is a more important risk factor than exposure in adulthood. This is seen in migration studies in Australia where people tend to retain the risk profile of their country of birth if they migrate to Australia as an adult. Individuals with blistering or peeling sunburns especially in the first twenty years of life have a significantly greater risk for melanoma.
Fair and red-headed people are at greater risk for developing melanoma. A person with multiple atypical nevi or dysplastic nevi are at a significant risk. Persons born with giant congenital naevi are at increased risk.
A family history of melanoma greatly increases a person's risk. Certain 'melanoma families' display features of mendelian inheritance of cancer causing genes. It is critical that individuals with family members who have been diagnosed with melanoma be checked regularly for skin cancer. Patients with a history of one melanoma are at increased risk of developing a second primary tumour.
Do you suspect that you may have Melanoma?
Any mole that is irregular in color or shape should be examined by a doctor to determine if it is a malignant melanoma, the most serious and life-threatening form of skin cancer. Following a visual examination and a dermatoscopic exam (an instrument that illuminates a mole, revealing its underlying pigment and vascular network structure), the doctor may biopsy the suspicious mole. If it is malignant, the mole and an area around it needs excision by a surgeon or dermatologist.
The diagnosis of melanoma requires experience, as early stages may look identical to harmless moles or not have any color at all. Where any doubt exists, the patient will be referred to a specialist dermatologist.
How to Prevent Melanoma
Minimize exposure to sources of ultraviolet radiation (the sun and sunbeds).
Wearing long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, and broad-brimmed hats offers the best protection.
Use a sunscreen with an SPF rating of 30 or better on exposed areas.
Disclaimer - The information presented here should not be interpreted as medical advice. If you suspect you have Melanoma, please consult your physician as early as possible for diagnosis and treatment options.
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Did you know the majority of your sun exposure occurs before the age of 18, but can take years to surface as skin cancer? Get the information you need to participate in your care and recovery.
Beauty is only skin deep. But skin cancer goes much deeper. Teens quest for beauty not worth the cancer risk.
We think that this occurs only to the people of the mother’s age but it occurs to the teenagers also. Skin cancer can be cured at its initial stage with the treatment and the precautions that are to be followed when suggested by the physician. But it goes deeper if it is abandoned for some period after its appearance. So we should be careful enough and take care of our skin.
Skin Cancer occurs mainly in people with fair skin, light eyes, and those who tend to freckle or burn easily during and after exposure to the sunlight. A history of 3 or more
sunburns, particularly blistering sunburns (before age 20) greatly increases risk. A history of severe sunburns in childhood and adolescence may actually double the risk of melanoma in adulthood.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer. Energy from the sun actually is a form of radiation. It consists of visible light and other rays that people can't see. Invisible infrared radiation, for instance, makes sunlight feel hot. UV also is invisible, and causes sunburn and sun tan. UV rays damage DNA, the genetic material that makes up genes. Genes control the growth and overall health of skin cells. If the genetic damage is severe, a normal skin cell may begin to grow in the uncontrolled, disorderly way of cancer cells. UV also can cause sunburn, and other damage that makes the skin look prematurely old and wrinkled.
Two kinds of rays exist in ultraviolet radiation invisible rays in sunlight that cause suntan, sunburn, premature skin aging, and most cases of skin cancer.:
* Ultraviolet A (UVA)
* Ultraviolet B (UVB)
Some cases of skin cancer, however, may be hereditary and run in families. In those cases, skin cancer is caused by abnormal genes that children inherit from their parents.
Genes make parents and children look somewhat alike. They also make them likely to get some of the same diseases.
Anyone can get skin cancer. Although most cases occur in people over age 50 with fair skin, it can develop in younger people, and those with dark skin. In general, an individual's lifetime exposure to UV light determines his risk. Certain individuals have a risk that is higher than the rest of the population. Included are people who:
· Have light skin that freckles easily and tends to burn rather than tan. Individuals with blond or red hair and blue or light gray eyes often have fair skin.
· Live in geographic regions closer to the equator, where sunlight is strongest.
· Work outdoors or spend lots of time in leisure activities in the sun.
· Already have had skin cancer. These individuals must take great care to minimize UV exposure and follow other preventive measures.
An adult's risk of skin cancer may be decided during childhood. Most people get the majority of their lifetime sun exposure before reaching 18 years of age.
Skin cancer first appears as a growth, or abnormal accumulation of cells. It sometimes takes the form of a sore or pimple that does not heal.. Cancer can occur on almost area of the skin, but is most common on areas often exposed to the sun. Skin cancer usually is painless.
The most common indications are:
1. A new growth on the skin.
2. A change in an existing skin growth.
3. A sore that does not heal.
Not all changes in the skin are symptoms of skin cancer. Most moles and other growths are harmless and do not need to be removed. Moles that are unattractive, or in areas where they are constantly irritated by clothing, can be removed by a doctor. The average person has dozens of moles and other skin growths that are benign on-cancerous, a growth that does not spread to other parts of the body or damage normal tissue or non-cancerous. They include:
* Birthmarks or congenital nevi
* Acquired moles
* Liver spots or solar lentigines,
* Seborrheic keratoses
* Acquired cherry angiomas
* Skin tags
* Actinic keratoses
Doctors often measure the success of cancer treatment in terms of the five-year survival rate. A person usually is considered to be cured if he or she is alive and without any trace of skin cancer five years after first being diagnosed. The chances of a cure depend on many factors, including how early the disease was diagnosed and effectively treated.
People who are treated for skin cancer should see their doctor for regular follow-up visits. Follow-up visits allow the doctor to check the tumor site to make sure that the cancer has not come back in the same place, or recurred. If it does recur, additional treatment will be needed.
The individuals who have developed skin cancer once have a higher risk for the disease in other skin sites. Therefore, it is very important for these individuals to have regular medical checkups, examine their skin regularly, and take sun exposure precautions.
The individuals who have developed skin cancer once have a higher risk for the disease in other skin sites. Therefore, it is very important for these individuals to have regular medical checkups, examine their skin regularly, and take sun exposure precautions.
Preventing cancer is preferable than treating it.
Treatment for skin cancer depends on several factors including: the stage of the cancer (whether or not it has spread), type of cancer, size and location, and the patient’s general health. Depending on these factors, treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy,
chemotherapy, and/or photodynamic therapy (uses drug and certain kind of laser light to kill cancer cells).4 The best treatment options should be discussed with your physician.
The goal of treating skin cancer is to destroy or remove the cancer completely with minimal scarring of your skin. Your treatment options for the disease depend on a
number of factors, including the location of the lesion on the skin and the type and stage of the cancer (how far it has spread).
Generally, the treatment for skin cancer will depend on the following:
* The thickness of your cancer
* Whether or not it has spread to deeper levels of your skin or other areas of your body
* The mitotic index (an indication of how quickly the cancer cells are growing and reproducing)
* The number of regional lymph nodes involved
* Ulceration or bleeding at the primary site
* Microscopic satellites (spreading of pigment from the mole to surrounding skin)
* Your age and general health
The following steps are recommended to protect the skin and to prevent skin cancer:
* Cover up tightly woven clothing at blocking out sun and keeping it from damaging the skin.
* Use sunscreens by frequently apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF)
* Wear a hat. A wide-brimmed hat is better because it will protect the ears, neck, eyes, forehead, nose and scalp.
* Wear UV-absorbent sunglasses. Even inexpensive sunglasses can be effective.
* Limit sun exposure. The rays of the sun are the strongest, and thus cause the most damage, between 10am and 4pm.
* Avoid tanning beds. Tanning beds are not a safe way to get a tan because they expose the skin to UV radiation, just like the sun does.
* Checking medications. Some prescription drugs can increase your sensitivity to sunlight, putting you at greater risk for sunburn.
In addition, all women should schedule regular skin examinations with a doctor. Routine examinations by a doctor qualified to diagnose skin cancer are important for those with a low or normal risk and are especially so for those with an increased risk of developing skin cancer. For individuals who have had skin cancer before, it is best to follow the treating doctor's recommendations for follow-up care. In between clinical exams, monthly self-examinations are recommended.
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