Skin Cancer

INTRODUCTION: Skin cancer represents the most commonly diagnosed malignancy, surpassing lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. Skin cancer generally develops in the epidermis (the outermost layer of skin), so a tumor is usually clearly visible.

Having tanned skin has not always been popular. Today it may represent health and vitality or an outdoor lifestyle. As recently as the 1940’s it represented working outdoors in manual labor or poorly paid work.

Skin cancer, like all cancers, is caused when the body is exposed to some external environmental condition. This causes the DNA within the cells directly exposed to the carcinogen to mutate. They become known as an oncogene that encourages tumor growth in the cell.

Skin cancer is caused by being over exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. If a person is more genetically predisposed to be more sensitive to UV rays then there is more chance that skin cancer will develop. Typical signs that a person is predisposed to skin cancer is a family history of the disease or a pale complexion that burns easily in the sun. As sunlight is the number one way in which people get exposed to UV rays, much advice is given about how to take precautions so that sunlight does not lead to skin cancer. This article will discuss some of these ideas. In particular it will focus on how sunscreen can help protect your skin and minimize the chances of developing skin cancer.

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. In many cases it can be fatal if left undiagnosed and allowed to metastasize to other parts of the body. One way to determine the full extent of a mark or mole on the skin is to have a melanoma biopsy. Usually, the mark will have been examined by a skin cancer professional who will suspect that it could be a melanoma. By having a biopsy, more information can be gained on the mark and confirm the diagnosis. It may also help determine any possible treatments for the disease.

With more understanding of skin cancer, the extent to which it affects people becomes fully known. In fact, it is the most common form of cancer in the United States and Australia to date. It is also becoming increasingly prevalent in many other countries throughout the world.

Skin cancer seems to be getting a lot of attention of late. There are ad campaigns and public service announcements on television and radio. This may be due to the increased understanding of the disease or that the number of cases are rising and people need education on the subject. There are three types of skin cancer - malignant melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. This article will deal with detecting squamous cell carcinoma.

People that have skin that burns easily in the sun should be screened for skin cancer by a professional at least once a year. The screening will identify any abnormal changes in the skin and diagnose any problems. However, even if you are screened once a year you should also monitor the condition and changes in your skin from time to time. You can identify potential problems if you know a bit about the disease. This article will detail the three types of skin cancer including the signs and treatment for each type.