About Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is a particular type of cancer that affects skin. Different variants of this malignant growth affect different cells of skin structure. The American Cancer Society estimates to diagnose over 60000 skin cancer cases in 2006.Types:
Depending on the particular cell of skin it affects, skin cancer is identified by the following types.
Basal Cell Carcinoma: It affects bottom most basal cells of the skin and is most common of skin cancers.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma: It affects the surface cells of skin exposed to sun and may start on sun damaged areas. It is less common than basal cell type.
Malignant Melanoma: This much less common type affects the pigment producing melanocyte cells of skin and which can be fatal if not treated early. It actually accounted for most of the deaths related skin cancer.
There a few other less common types as well.
Signs and Symptoms
Abnormal discoloration, pigmentation of skin, scaly patches, sores that do not heal, shiny pearly shaped lumps, moles that appeared after child hood, moles that change size, shape, color or thickness, painful moles, wart like dry dark patches etc., may indicate beginning of skin cancer.
How it begins?
Mostly, sunburn and overexposure of sun is to blame. That's why the western nations populated by sunbathing people are affected most.Fair skinned people are pre-disposed to this disease due to an absence of pigmentation in their skin. However, these days non white people from Asia, Africa and Latin America are also affected.
It can also start occasionally from accidental exposure to radiation or by surgical radiation at spot of treatment after a few years.
As a person's age progresses, their vulnerability to cancer increases. Children who are exposed for long periods in sun in their childhood may show skin cancer later. Also, aged skin is delicate and frail hence, prone to skin cancer.
In certain cases, some skin cancers start in burns cases, within the burn area. Certain genetic disorders in family trees make some people susceptible to skin cancer. Loss of immunity as in case of HIV infection may increase risk of skin cancer.
Sustained exposure to carcinogenic chemicals like arsenic in ground water, road tars etc., may cause skin cancer. Genital skin cancer is associated with a sexually transmitted virus.
Prevention
Skin cancer protection is mostly about sun protection as the exposure to sun is the predominant cause of skin cancer. Using barriers against the sun is important. These include clothes, hats, sun screen lotions, sun block creams and sunglasses. Avoid harsh sun between 11 am and 4 pm. Even when venturing out in other time and cloudy days need wearing a sunscreen. Since the UV rays are ubiquitous and invisible.
Prolonged exposure of very old people, toddlers need specific attention.
People in whose family trees the disease is prevalent, HIV infected people, people already shown pre-cancerous symptoms of skin cancer and other high risk individuals must, at all costs, avoid sunburn and prolonged exposure.
People who received organ transplants were usually put on immuno-suppressant drugs must take their doctors advice on when they can go out in the sun, particularly, if fair complexioned people.
To know more about Skin Cancer visit us
- EdGMore News Information About "Skin Cancer":
Skin Cancer -Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Skin cancer is another common type of cancer, although
it seems small, can be quite lethal if it is not caught on
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condition of ski...
Publication date: Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:33:58 EST
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