Skin+Cancer

=﻿Skin Cancer =

Skin
-The skin is the largest organ of the body. -It covers the internal organs while protecting them from injury. -It prevents the loss of too much water and other fluids. -Regulates body temprature -Helps to get rid of excess water and salts.

In General:
-Skin cancer is the most common of all the cancers in humans. -More than 1 million people are diagnosed with some form of skin cancer each year. -Cancer occurs when normal cells undergo a transformation during which they grow and multiply without normal controls. -The three main types of skin cancer are: melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma.

Melanoma:
Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. It is the leading cause of death from skin disease. Melanoma is caused by changes in cells called melanocytes, which produce a skin pigment called melanin. Everyone is at some risk for melanoma but increased risk is caused by number of moles on the body, skin type sun exposure, and genetics. If recognized and treated early it is always curable, but if it spreads to other parts of the body it can become hard to treat and fatal. It can appear on normal skin, or it may begin as a mole or another area that has changed in appearance. Some moles that are present at birth may develop into melanomas. The warning signs include asymmetry of a mole, color variation, uneven borders, larger diameter, or ones that are changing in appearance. (ABCDE rule; asymmetry, border, color variation, diameter, and evolving). The first step of treatment is cutting it out and depending on the severity of it, there may also need to be further treatment.

**-Basic Melanoma**

** -Severe Melanoma **

** -The stages of Melanoma **

Basal Cell Carcinoma:
Basal Cell Carcinoma is the most common type of cancer with more than one million people diagnosed every year in the United States alone. Most cases occur on the parts of the body excessively exposed to the sun. People with blonde or red hair and fair skin are at the highest risk to develop this type of cancer. It is easily treated in it's early stages but as the tumor grows larger, more extensive treatment is needed. It usually does not spread to other organs in the body. The five warning signs are an open sore that is non-healing, a reddish patch that may crust, itch or hurt, a shiny bump that is generally red pink or white but could also be brown or tan and be confused with a mole, a pink growth with a slightly raised edge and a crusty center, or a scar-like area which can be white, yellow or waxy. There are several types of treatment for basal cell carcinoma depending on the type, size, depth and location.

** -Typical Basal Cell Carcinoma **

** -Severe Basal Cell Carcinoma **

Squamous Cell Carcinoma:
Squamous Cell Carcinoma is the second most common type of cancer with more than 700,000 cases diagnosed every year. It arises from the squamous cells that make up most of the skins epidermis. People with fair skin and blue green or gray eyes are at the highest risk and is atleast twice as frequent in men as in women and rarely appears before the age of 50. Chronic exposure to sunglight is the biggest cause and people who use tanning beds are atleast 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma. They typically appear as rough, thick, scaly patches that usually bleed when bumped, they often look like warts and can appear as open sores with a raised border and crusted surface. Just like the other types of skin cancers, when developed at an early stage and removed promptly it is almost always curable with minimal damage, but if left untreated they eventually pentrate into underlying tissues and can become disfiguring. There are several effective ways to cut out squamous cell carcinoma. The choice of treatment is based on the type, size, location, and depth of the tumor, as well as the patient's age and general health. Treatment can almost always be performed as an outpatient basis.

** -Typical Squamos Cell Carcinoma **

**-Severe Squamos Cell Carcinoma**

Other Types of Skin Cancers:
Please keep in mind that these are not the only types of skin cancers, these are just the three types that are most commonly seen. Other types of skin cancers include Kaposi's Sarcoma which is a rare type of the cells that lines blood vessels and Actinic Keratosis which is a precursor to Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Prevention:
-stay away from the use of tanning beds -limit sun exposure -use sunscreen when exposed to sun -get a yearly screening at your dermatologist