Skin cancer is the most prevalent of all types of cancers. It is estimated that more than one million Americans develop skin cancer every year .Fair-skinned people who sunburn easily are at a particularly high risk for developing skin cancer. Other less important factors include repeated medical and industrial x-ray exposure, scarring from diseases or burns. Skin cancer ? the abnormal growth of skin cells ? most often develops on skin exposed to the sun. But this common form of cancer can also occur on areas of your skin not ordinarily exposed to sunlight.

Types of skin cancer

There are three main types of skin cancer:

?melanoma ? the most dangerous form of skin cancer

?basal cell carcinoma

?squamous cell carcinoma

Symptoms of Skin Cancer

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer and it is also the most easy to treat. As a result, cases of basal cell carcinoma spreading to other parts of the body are very rare.

The symptoms of basal cell carcinoma can appear anywhere on your body but, typically, they appear on areas that have been exposed to the sun, such as your face, arms, legs, and the backs of your hands.

Sometimes skin cancer is painful, but usually it is not. A change on the skin is the most common sign of skin cancer. Not all skin cancers look the same. Skin changes to watch for include:

?Small, smooth, shiny, pale, or waxy lump

?Firm, red lump

?Sore or lump that bleeds or develops a crust or a scab

?Flat red spot that is rough, dry, or scaly and may become itchy or tender

?Red or brown patch that is rough and scaly

? A sore that does not heal

?Oozing or crusting spots in a sore

? Appearance of a scar-like sore without having injured the area

? Irregular blood vessels in or around the spot

Prevention

Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Because the sun's rays are strongest during this period, try to schedule outdoor activities for other times of the day, even in winter or when the sky is cloudy. You absorb UV radiation year-round, and clouds offer little protection from damaging rays.

Wear sunscreen year-round. Sunscreens don't filter out all harmful UV radiation, especially the radiation that can lead to melanoma. But they play a major role in an overall sun protection program. Sunscreens that contain ingredients such as titanium dioxide and mexoryl do a better job at blocking UVA rays

? Slip on some sun-protective clothing ? that covers as much skin as possible

? Slop on broad spectrum, water resistant SPF30+ sunscreen. Put it on 20 minutes before you go outdoors and every two hours afterwards. Sunscreen should never be used to extend the time you spend in the sun.

Treatment of Skin Cancer

If a skin biopsy reveals cancer, the dermatologist has an array of medical and surgical procedures as treatment, depending upon the type of cancer, its location, and the needs of the individual. Dermatologic surgical treatments include: surgical excision; electrodessication and curettage (ED&C), which involves alternately scraping or burning the tumor in

combination with low levels of electricity; cryosurgery (freezing using liquid nitrogen); and laser surgery. Mohs micrographic surgery is a special procedure used to remove the whole tumor while sparing as much normal skin as possible.

There are treatments for all patients with skin cancer. Three kinds of treatments are used:

?surgery (taking out the cancer)

?chemotherapy (using drugs to kill cancer cells)

?radiation therapy (using x-rays to kill cancer cells)

Radiation therapy uses x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy for skin cancer comes from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy).

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. In treating skin cancer, chemotherapy is often given as a cream or lotion placed on the skin to kill cancer cells (topical chemotherapy). Chemotherapy may also be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in a vein or muscle.