Skin Cancer Symptoms and Treatment
With advances in technology in the field of medicine and routine examinations, skin cancer dermatology can provide the examinations needed to detect skin cancer. But, at the end of the day, you're your skin's first line of defense. Examine yourself regularly with a hand mirror. If you notice a body part that looks unusual, call a specialist to have it checked.
Definition of Skin Cancer
Skin cancer occurs when skin cells grow abnormally, and uncontrollably, and form tumors. The most common types of skin cancer in humans are:
Squamous cell carcinoma:
The cells are flat and constantly shed, squamous cell carcinoma is similar to an open sore, and is red and scaly. When the cells become cancerous, they can slowly spread to other parts of the body if not treated.
Basal cell carcinoma:
Often found in sun-exposed areas such as the shoulders, neck, and head, basal cell carcinoma can reappear if not removed completely. Patients who had basal cell carcinoma in the past were more likely to have it again.
Melanoma:
This type of skin cancer can spread to other parts of your body and can be fatal if not treated early. An early skin cancer diagnosis is essential for the most effective treatment.
All potential cancerous skin growths should be biopsied to confirm the diagnosis of cancer. Depending on the type of skin cancer suspected, the method of skin cancer biopsy that is performed is slightly different, and it is indispensable.
Any potential melanoma requires a surgical biopsy, where the entire growth is removed surgically if possible. A pathologist will examine the sample using a microscope to find out if cancer cells are present.
Skin cancer is an abnormal growth of skin cells, and most often occurs on skin that is exposed to sunlight. But this common form of cancer can also occur in areas of the skin that aren't usually exposed to sunlight.
Skin cancer occurs when your body does not repair damaged DNA in skin cells, so cells divide and grow uncontrollably. Damage to skin cells can be triggered by a variety of factors, including genetics and skin type. However, most cases of skin cancer are triggered by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, which is produced by sunlight. Skin cancer may appear as dark spots, lesions, sores that don't heal, or lumps on the skin. The type of skin cancer depends on which skin cells are damaged.
You can reduce your skin cancer risk by:
- Avoid exposure to UV radiation.
- Examining the skin for any suspicious changes can help you detect skin cancer in its early stages. Early detection of skin cancer gives you the greatest chance of a cure in the treatment of skin cancer.
Skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma, often starts with changes in the skin. These changes can be new growths or precancerous lesions, noncancerous changes that may become cancerous over time. An estimated 40% to 50% of white people who live to age 65 will develop at least one skin cancer.
Basal cell carcinoma
Of the 3 million cases of skin cancer diagnosed each year, more than 80% are basal cell types (according to the American Cancer Society). This cancer grows in the basal cell layer of your skin, the bottommost part of the epidermis.
This type of skin cancer tends to occur in areas of your skin that are often exposed to the sun, such as the head and neck. Basal cell cancer is usually slow-growing, and rarely spreads or metastasizes to nearby lymph nodes, or perhaps to more distant parts of the body.
This type of cancer can also recur in the same location where the original cancer was formed. People who have had basal cell carcinoma have an increased risk of developing new basal cell cancers elsewhere. As many as 50% of these patients have an opportunity to develop a new basal cell carcinoma within 5 years of their first diagnosis.
Early Detection of Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is cancer you can see. Unlike cancers that grow inside the body, skin cancers form outside the body, and you can see them. That's why screening for skin cancer, both at home and by a dermatologist, is so important.
Early detection could save your life. Learning what to look for in your skin gives you the power to detect cancer early on before it becomes harmful or deadly.
You Can Find Skin Cancer Symptoms
The best way to detect skin cancer is to have it checked out. You will see freckles on the skin. And you have to check everywhere, from your scalp to the spaces between your toes, and the bottoms of your feet.
If possible, your spouse can help. Your partner can examine areas that you cannot see for yourself, such as the scalp and back. Get into the habit of examining your skin for changes. Monthly skin cancer screenings are especially useful. If you've had skin cancer, your dermatologist will tell you how many times you should have your skin checked.
Is Skin Cancer Inherited?
Because most skin cancers are caused by exposure to ultraviolet light, skin cancer is usually considered a non-hereditary disease. But the fact that skin cancer is much more common among people who are poorly pigmented, and that skin color is inherited, supports the proposition that genetics is critical. There are some very rare genetic syndromes, which cause an increased number of skin cancer cells in affected humans.
Symptoms of Skin Cancer.
Skin cancer will develop, especially in areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun, including skin cancer on the face, scalp, lips, neck, ears, chest, arms and hands, and feet. But it can also form in areas that are rarely seen, such as the palms of the hands, under fingernails or toenails, and in your genital area.
To detect skin cancer, knowledge of the symptoms of this disease is very important. Skin cancer is categorized into 3 different types, signs and symptoms of the disease vary according to the type.
1. Basal cell carcinoma
Flat, flesh-colored, or brown streaks like scars on the skin
Pearly or see-through lumps on the skin
2. Squamous cell carcinoma
Flat scratches with flaking and crusty surface
Knots - like bumps on the skin that are taut and red
3. melanoma
Discolored moles, which look like they are bleeding
Bruises on the feet that don't heal.
Small scratches with irregular borders and areas that appear red, white, blue, or blue-black
Dark patches on the soles of the feet, palms, fingertips, or toes, or the mucous membranes lining the nose, mouth, vagina, or anus.
Skin cancer affects people of all skin colors, including those with darker skin tones. Melanoma is more common in people with darker skin tones and is more likely to occur in areas of the body that are not normally exposed to sunlight, such as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. (cancer.net)
How Cancer Spreads in Your Body.
Cancer can spread via the tissues, lymph system, and blood:
lymph system. The cancer spreads from where it started by getting into your lymph
system. Cancer will travel through lymph vessels to other parts of your body.
Network. The cancer spreads from where it began by growing to nearby areas.
Blood. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into your blood.
Signs and Symptoms of Basal Cell Carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma mostly occurs in areas of the body exposed to UV light, such as the face or neck.
Basal cell carcinoma can appear as:
- Bump of pearl or wax
- Bleeding wounds or scabs that heal and come back
- Flat, flesh colored or brown lesions
Signs and Symptoms of Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Most often, squamous cell carcinoma occurs in areas of the body exposed to the sun, such as the hands, face, and ears. Those with darker skin are more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma in areas that are not exposed to the sun often.
Melanoma signs include:
- Large brown freckles with dark spots
- Painful lesions that itch or burn
Small lesions with irregular borders and areas that appear red, pink, white, blue or blue-black
- A mole that changes color, size or taste or bleeds
- dark lesions on the soles of the feet, the palms of the hands, the tips of the fingers or toes, or on the mucous membranes lining the mouth, nose, vagina or anus
Squamous cell carcinoma may present as:
- Hard red bump
– Signs and symptoms of melanoma
- Flat lesions with a scaly and crusty surface
Melanoma can form anywhere on the body, on normal skin, or on moles that turn cancerous. In women, this type of melanoma cancer develops most often in the lower legs. In both men and women, melanoma can occur on skin that isn't exposed to the sun.
Melanoma can affect people of all skin colors. In humans with darker skin tones, melanoma often appears on the palms or soles, or under the fingernails or toenails.
How to Diagnose Skin Cancer
A visual examination is usually the first step in making a skin cancer diagnosis. Monthly self-exams, and annual skin cancer doctor visits are highly recommended to screen cancer for potential disease. If a suspicious skin abnormality is found, the doctor will prioritize examining the area first, noting its size, shape, color and texture, and any bleeding or crusting. A skin cancer doctor can also check nearby lymph nodes, to see if they are enlarged. If you are seen by a general practitioner, you may be referred to a dermatologist who can perform more specialized tests and make a diagnosis.
To diagnose skin cancer, your doctor may:
Check your skin
Your doctor may examine your skin to determine whether your skin changes are more likely to become skin cancer. Further tests may be needed to confirm the results of the diagnosis.
Remove the suspicious skin sample for testing (skin biopsy).
Your doctor may remove any suspicious-looking skin for lab testing. A biopsy can determine if you have skin cancer, and what type of skin cancer you have.
A doctor may use a special microscope to examine suspicious body parts more clearly, in a process known as dermatoscopy. In most cases, the skin cancer is removed at a skin cancer clinic. If the dermatologist determines that the skin cancer is melanoma or Merkel cell carcinoma, more intensive treatment will be needed.
2 Types of Tests for Diagnosing Skin Cancer
Biopsy
In most cases, the doctor will remove the entire growth of the cancer cells. During the procedure, the doctor will numb the area before taking a sample of tissue.
There are a variety of different biopsy methods, but an excisional biopsy is the doctor's way of removing all growths that are enough to treat skin cancer.
Other types of biopsy include a shave biopsy, in which your doctor shaves off the top layer of the lesion, and a punch biopsy, in which the doctor uses a special instrument to cut a small part of the tumor, including the deeper layers of skin. . .
Your doctor may also do a biopsy of the suspicious lymph node to see if it contains cancer cells.
Imaging test
Most skin cancers, particularly basal cell carcinoma, which is the most common form of skin cancer, don't spread to other parts of the body. Melanomas and Merkel cell carcinomas spread more easily. In such cases, one of several medical imaging procedures can be used to determine if cancer cells have spread to your internal organs and bones. Imaging procedures include: CT scans, X-rays, and MRIs.
These imaging procedures are non-invasive and painless. If suspicious spots or metastases of skin cancer develop, a more invasive biopsy may be needed.
Options for Skin Cancer Treatment
Most cases of skin cancer can be treated in a skin cancer clinic, or by outpatient surgery. But the more aggressive skin cancers, such as melanoma or Merkel cell carcinoma, can form tumors, and require more extensive treatment, such as chemotherapy, surgery, or immunotherapy.There are different types of treatment for humans with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and actinic keratosis.
Many types of treatment are available for people with basal cell carcinoma, skin squamous cell carcinoma, and actinic keratosis. Some are standard treatments, and others are currently under clinical trials.
A clinical trial of a treatment is a research study that is intended to help improve current treatments, or obtain information about new treatments for people with cancer. When clinical trials show that the outcome of a new treatment is much better than the standard treatment, the new treatment can become the standard treatment. The patient may consider participating in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not had treatment before.
Treatments for skin cancer are:
Surgery
Most skin cancers are treated surgically, particularly basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which are usually removed by a dermatologist as part of an outpatient treatment procedure. More aggressive cancers, such as melanoma, may need further surgery to remove the tumor.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy may be an option for patients with advanced skin cancer, such as Merkel cell carcinoma that has spread to other organs. This anticancer drug is designed to stop or slow the growth of rapidly dividing tumor cells.
Topical medicine
These forms of non-surgical therapy include photodynamic therapy, topical chemotherapy and immune response modifiers. They are typically used to treat early-stage basal or squamous cell carcinoma or noncancerous lesions.
Targeted therapy
The targeted therapeutic drug is used to treat melanoma and some non-melanoma skin cancers, such as the rare case of advanced basal cell carcinoma.
Immunotherapy
Checkpoint inhibitors and cytokines are 2 types of immunotherapeutic drugs that can be used to treat certain cases of Merkel cell carcinoma and melanoma. These drugs were created to trigger the human immune system, to identify and attack cancer cells.
Radiotherapy
Radiation treatment may be recommended by your doctor after surgery, to kill any remaining cancer cells in the place where the lymph nodes were removed. This treatment can also be used for recurring skin cancer to relieve symptoms, or reduce the spread of the disease.
Is Skin Cancer Deadly?
The most common forms of skin cancer are squamous cell and basal cell cancer. Melanoma is the rarest and most aggressive form, it can be cured if detected early. The estimated 5-year survival rate for those diagnosed with early-stage melanoma is 99%.
Summary
Skin cancer often affects some people in the USA. Every year, more than 3 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed. Most skin cancers are non-melanoma, and if detected early, can be treated by a dermatologist with an outpatient treatment procedure. Melanoma makes up only about 1% of all skin cancers, but is responsible for over 90% of skin cancer deaths.
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