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Understanding Skin Cancer |
Warning Signs and Prevention
Few words conjure up more images of concern and
desperation than that of cancer—and rightly so. But
did you realize that of the many forms of human cancer,
skin cancer is the most common? The National Cancer
Institute notes that skin cancers will affect nearly 1 million
Americans this year—and the number of new cases is
increasing. Equally concerning is the fact that nearly half
of all Americans who live to the age of 65 will develop skin
cancer at least once.
Despite the gloomy numbers, there is hope. Unlike cancers
that grow internally, skin cancer has the greatest potential
for early detection and treatment—if we are vigilant to its
warning signs.
Types of Skin Cancer
To understand what to look for, one should first understand
the basic skin cancer types. They fall into three groups:
precancers, nonmelanomas, and malignant melanoma.
Precancers
When dermatologists diagnose precancerous lesions, they
are most likely referring to actinic keratosis (AK), also known
as solar keratosis. While AK is not officially cancerous, it
has the potential to develop into more serious forms of
skin cancer. AK is usually found in the outer layer of the
skin, most commonly on the face, lips, ears, neck and
scalp. It may cause the skin to become scaly, rough, red or
discolored, and may be tender to the touch.
Treatment options vary and are best discussed with one of
our board-certified dermatologists. Common treatments
for AK include freezing with liquid nitrogen, chemical
peels, topical chemotherapy creams and laser resurfacing
therapy.
Nonmelanomas
The most common form of skin cancer, and thankfully
the least dangerous, is basal cell carcinoma. It accounts
for more than 90% of all skin cancer in the U.S. Basal
cell carcinoma grows slowly and rarely spreads beyond
its original location. While this cancer is seldom lifethreatening,
if left untreated, it can grow into underlying
tissue and cause serious damage.
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aesthetic Institute & Laser Center
Warning signs for basal cell carcinoma may include an
open sore that doesn’t heal, a growth with an elevated
border and central indentation, or a scar-like bump on the
sun-exposed skin of the head, neck, chest, arms or legs.
The most common treatment for this type of cancer is
surgical excision.
Up a notch on the danger pole, above basal cell carcinoma,
is the next most common kind of skin cancer: squamous
cell carcinoma. Like basal cell carcinoma, this cancer is
generally not considered a threat to life. However, unlike
its cousin above, squamous cell carcinoma, if not treated,
may potentially spread to other body organs (including
lymph nodes) and ultimately cause death.
This type of cancer appears frequently as a red, scaling,
thickened patch on the arms, legs, lips, face or ears.
Ulceration and bleeding may also occur.
Treatments include Mohs micrographically controlled
surgery, surgical excision, lasers, or radiation therapy.
Malignant Melanoma
The most dangerous form of skin cancer is malignant
melanoma. Thankfully it is also the least common, though
incidences are rapidly increasing. If detected early,
malignant melanoma can be completely cured. If it is not
treated quickly, however, it will spread throughout the
body’s organs and ultimately be fatal.
While anyone can get melanoma, fair-skinned people are
at greater risk. It can appear anywhere on the skin, but
is most common on the backs of men and on the legs of
women. Melanoma almost always begins on the skin’s
surface, where it’s easily treated (generally via surgical
removal). If given time to grow, it will move into the blood
and lymphatic vessels, making full recovery difficult.
Melanoma’s warning signs include spots or moles that
change in size, color or feel (often with an irregular
border). The cancer may also appear as a small lesion
containing red, white, blue or black spots; or shiny, firm,
dome-shaped bumps (located anywhere on your body).