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Your Online Guide » Guide to Medical » Types Of Cancer

[S539]Skin Cancer Risk Factors
by Dick Aronson, Dic
Skin cancer represents the most commonly diagnosed malignancy, surpassing lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. Tumors develop primarily on areas of sun-exposed skin, including the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms and hands, and on the legs in women. Contrary to popular conception, skin cancer affects people of all skin tones, including those with darker complexions. Most skin cancers appear after age 50, but the sun's damaging effects begin at an early age, therefore protection should start in childhood in order to prevent skin cancer later in life.

Types of Skin Cancer
The main types of skin tumours are:
1. Melanomas are skin cancers that form in melanocytes (skin cells that make pigment). Even though it is rare, malignant melanoma is responsible for 75 % of all skin cancer related death cases.
2. Basal Cell carcinomas are skin cancers that form in basal cells (small, round cells in the base of the outer layer of skin).
3. Squamous Cell carcinomas are skin cancers that form in squamous cells (flat cells that form the surface of the skin).

Rarer types of skin tumors are:
1.Neuroendocrine carcinomas which form in neuroendocrine cells (cells that release hormones in response to signals from the nervous system.) carcinoma of the skin.
2.Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.
3.Merkel cell carcinoma.
4.Kaposi's sarcoma.

Risk Factors
Risk factors for non melanoma and melanoma skin cancers include: unprotected and or excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, fair complexion, occupational exposures to; coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds, radium, family history, multiple or atypical moles, and severe sunburns as a child. Anyone with a family history of skin cancer also has an increased risk of developing skin cancer.

Signs of Skin Cancer
Signs of melanoma may include: A large brownish spot with darker speckles located anywhere on your body, a simple mole located anywhere on your body that changes in color, size or feel or that bleeds, a small lesion with an irregular border and red, white, blue or blue-black spots on your trunk or limbs, shiny, firm, dome-shaped bumps located anywhere on your body, dark lesions on your palms, soles, fingertips and toes, or on mucous membranes lining your mouth, nose, vagina and anus.

Signs of basal cell carcinoma can vary depending on the type and may include skin changes such as a: Firm, pearly bump with tiny blood vessels in a spider like appearance (telangiectasias). Signs of squamous cell carcinoma include any: persistent, firm, red bump on sun-exposed skin.

Treatment
Depending on the type of skin cancer, dermatologic surgical treatments include: surgical excision; electrodessication and curettage which involves alternately scraping or burning the tumor in combination with low levels of electricity, cryosurgery and laser surgery. Other dermatologic treatments include radiation therapy and photodynamic therapy (a chemical is applied to the skin prior to exposure to a light source). Mohs micrographic surgery is preferred for large basal cell carcinomas, those that recur after previous treatment, or lesions affecting parts of the body where experience shows that recurrence is common after treatment by other methods.

Skin cancer can be deadly, but nearly all skin cancer can be treated if it is detected and diagnosed early, however skin cancer can recur, so it is important that you examine your skin regularly for any changes and see your doctor for a check-up every six to 12 months.

If you have been reading newspaper or listening to news regularly over the past few years, you should have come across several warnings telling us to protect ourselves from skin cancer. Whilst there are many who do pay attention to these cautions, a shocking count of women still ignores them. If you are amongst those women that ignore these warnings, you are likely to think that it's impossible for you to get affected by skin cancer. Again, you might feel it to be no harm, if you miss applying sun tan lotion while moving out.

Skin cancer is not a rare phenomenon, as people consider it to be. Whilst it's true that staying unprotected in the sun for short duration seldom leads to cancer, you might still face its wrath. Most women get affected with skin cancer after exposing themselves to the sun for a long period of time. As a matter of fact, almost 75% of women diagnosed with it every year have a history of constant sun exposure. Although cancer might occur after severe sunburns, it usually results for many years in the sun.

Do you stay long in an open environment for long periods and get frequently bathed by sun without having any protection on your skin? If you do, then are you at high risk for skin cancer? Again, is there any spot on your skin, which has been bothering you for long? Can it be cancerous? If you even have a feeling that the spot can be cancerous, you should immediately schedule a visit with your doctor!

Definite diagnosis can only be made once a biopsy is performed.

Over 99 percent of women, who are diagnosed with cancer on their skin, have:

Basal cell skin cancer: Women developing these sores find that a pimple or a scab grows on their skin, bleeds or drains, and then scabs again. This cycle is seen to continue repeatedly and has been found tough to heal completely.

Squamous skin cancer: It looks similar to basal carcinomas. They also appear rough and have scaly patches on the skin, which do not disappear.

These 2 cancer types usually appear in nose and similar other regions of the skin, which frequently receives direct rays from the sun. Skin of your nose is very much tender, and can be at high risk for non-melanoma cancer. Both basal cell and squamous skin cancer are treatable, if you choose to remove them surgically.

Usually, women develop non-melanoma cancers on their nose or face. However, sometimes melanoma occurs on their face too. Such cancer types spread rapidly and can be deadly, if it stays undetected and untreated in its initial stages. Sometimes, it's difficult to differentiate the two types. This is the reason why you should see a doctor, whenever you notice something wrong with your skin.

If you have a belief that you are at high risks of skin cancer, you should immediately schedule appointments with your doctor. Skin cancers can be successfully treated, if they are caught in their initial stages.

Your life might totally depend on the early detection & diagnosis of a bothersome sore on the skin. So don't even think about delaying!

Article Source : Pg. 20

About Author
Both Dick Aronson & James S. Pendergraft are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Dick Aronson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Types of Cancer, Acupuncture Chiropractor and Types of Cancer. Dick Aronson has a background of over 35 years in various facets of the Healthcare industry. He set up and ran clinical trials in more than 20 countries and he has also founded a number of small private health related businesses. Dick now runs a number of. Dick Aronson's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.

James S. Pendergraft has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Alternative Medicine and Bacterial Vaginosis. Dr. James S. Pendergraft opened the Orlando Women's Center in March 1996 to provide a full range of heal. James S. Pendergraft's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.
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