Print Article for : Skin Cancer Basal Cell

Your Online Guide » Guide to Medical » Types Of Cancer

[S539]Skin Cancer Basal Cell

by Cdmohatta, Cdm

A Doctor can often diagnose basal cell carcinoma on sight. However, formal diagnosis is essential, especially given the possibility of morpheaform BCC. A skin biopsy is almost always done to confirm diagnosis. A biopsy also determines the presence of a more aggressive form of skin cancer, such as malignant melanoma.

Treatment of Basal Cell Cancer

The treatment for BCC aims at the removal of the cancer, prevent the spread of cancer, and minimize any damage from treatment to nearby healthy tissue. Treatment options may involve removal of the entire skin growth with surgery, radiation therapy and drug treatment.

Because non-melanoma skin cancer usually grows slowly, it often can be detected and treated early in its development, which increases the chance of treatment being successful. Educating the patients about self-examination is important, as recurrence of skin cancer is possible.

High Risk Groups

People with light skin colour are more at risk of getting BCC, but BCC does occur in dark skinned people. Those who have a family history of skin cancer or a personal history of skin cancer are also at a much higher risk. The risk for BCC is high in people who have had kidney or heart transplants or in those who are immuno-suppressed due to other reasons.

Skin Protection

Limiting exposure to the sun and other sun protection measures such as use of sunscreen can help prevent the development of new skin cancers and may also help prevent skin cancer from developing in new areas.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

Basal Cell Cancer is one the most frequently diagnosed skin cancers. It affects the basal cells, which are located in the bottom layer of the epidermis. Malignant cells proliferate excessively from the epidermis resulting in a tumor. The incidence of basal cell cancer increases with age. Almost all people diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma can expect to live at least another 5 years.

Causes of Basal Cell Cancer

It is one the most frequently diagnosed skin cancer.

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation is the main risk factor for developing BCCs. While its occurrence is more in older people, it is becoming more common in younger people even in their 20s and 30s.

Fair-skinned people have a much greater risk for BCC. Radiation treatments, as well as immune suppression, also increase one's risk. In western countries, those who use tanning beds also have an elevated risk for BCCs. People with several inherited disorders that manifest a greater sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation, have an increased prevalence of BCC.

Signs & Symptoms of Basal Cell Cancer

Basal cell carcinoma is seen most often on the head and neck, but can affect any area.

The typical signs of BCC are:

An open sore that has not healed in three weeks and is oozing, bleeding or crusting.
A irritated patch of skin, especially on the face, neck, chest, arms, or legs.
Any new, smooth skin nodule (bump) with a raised border and indented center. Or a smooth, shiny, or pearly bump that looks like a mole or cyst.
A scar especially on the face, with a shiny look of tight-looking skin, and poorly defined edges.
Occasional BCCs can be pigmented (dark), particularly in darker-skinned individuals. In these cases, the tumors manifest the same signs of a non-pigmented variant, except they are brown instead of pink.
A fairly common BCC variant is superficial BCC. It rarely invades and is typically confined to the epidermis. It is seen on the trunk and extremities and appears as a red, scaly plaque, with crusting. Because of its similarity in appearance and slow growth, to that of eczema or psoriasis, it becomes difficult to diagnose.

A form of BCC known as morpheaform or sclerosing BCC causes a more aggressive lesion. It looks whitish, without a defined edge, and is firm to the touch. It may look like a scar and can blend in fairly well with the surrounding skin, thus escaping detection for years, while continuing to spread. When these tumors are removed, they are surprisingly larger than expected.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

Article Source : Pg. 2

Cdmohatta has sinced written about articles on various topics from Marriage, Careers and Job Hunting and Gardening. DoctorGoodSkin.com is a popular guide where you can find a lot of information, articles and tips about acne, skin care, STDs, skin diseases and conditions,. Cdmohatta's top article generates over 450000 views. to your Favourites.