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SKIN CANCER
SKIN CANCER
BASAL CELL CARCINOMA
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer. This type of cancer is rarely life threatening and is usually a skin limited problem. It does not spread to internal organs. It usually occurs in patients who have had repeated sun exposure, unprotected from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. The chances also increase when you have one or more of the following risk factors:
- Fair Skin
- Blond or red hair
- Blue or green eyes
- Family history of skin cancer
- Weakened immune system
What they look like:
The BCC tumor often appears as a pimple-like growth that has a shiny, pinkish patch on the skin or even a sore. A less common form looks like a white scar. Most basal cell carcinomas develop on sun-exposed areas such as the head, neck, trunk, and legs, but can appear anywhere on the body. BCC can spread to and can destroy surrounding tissue, causing permanent disfigurement. It often can develop near an eye, ear, or nose. Early diagnosis and proper treatment are important.
SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common type of skin cancer. SCC and basal cell carcinomas are collectively referred to as nonmelanoma skin cancer. Of the more than one million cases of skin cancer that will be diagnosed in the United States this year, approximately 20% will be SCC. Squamous cell carcinoma is caused by exposure to the sun's harmful ultravioltet (UV) rays and chances increase with age because each exposure to harmful UV rays causes more damage to the skin. Other risk factors are:
- Fair skin
- Blond or red hair; blue or green eyes
- History of indoor tanning
- Previous actinic keratoses (AKs), skin precancers
- Family history of skin cancer
- Weakened immune system (immunosuppression)
- Received radiation therapy
- History of exposure to coal tar products or arsenic
What it looks like:
SCC looks like a red crusted or scaly patch on the skin, a non-healing ulcer, or a firm red nodule. They appear on sun-exposed areas just as basal cell carcinomas, such as the head, neck, ears, trunk, and can develop on other areas as well. Many SCCs develop from small sandpaper-like precancerous lesions called actinic keratoses, which are also caused by exposure to sun's UV rays. When SCC progresses, it can invade and destroy much of the tissue surrounding the cancerous tumor, which can be disfiguring and potentially life threathening. Some SCCs such as those that develop on a lip or an ear can be particularly aggressive. Left untreated, an aggressive SCC has a greater risk for metastasis (spreading) to the lymph nodes and other internal organs. Early diagnosis and treatment are very important. A dermatologist should examine any lesion that looks like a red crusted or scaly patch or a non-healing sore.
TREATMENT FOR BOTH BASAL CELL CARCINOMA AND SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA
A biopsy is required to diagnose a basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. It is a simple procedure done in the office by numbing the area and then removing a portion of the lesion. The removed tissue is examined under a microscope to see if cancer is present. The treatment depends on the size, location, and characteristics of the tumor. Cancer cells must be completely removed or there will be regrowth and recurrence of the tumor. Of all treatments for skin cancer, Mohs Micrographic Surgery
is a highly specialized and an advanced treatment procedure for the removal of skin cancers. It offers up to a 99% cure rate for basal and squamous cell carcinomas.
MALIGNANT MELANOMA
Malignant melanoma is a form of skin cancer, often simply called "Melanoma". This skin cancer can spread quickly. With early diagnosis and treatment, melanoma has a high cure rate. Melanoma affects people of all skin colors and all ages. The number of melanomas keeps rising each year. Protecting your skin from the sun and not using tanning beds reduces the risk of getting all forms of skin cancer, including melanoma. Not all melanomas are caused entirely by UV rays. Other risk factors increase a person's likelihood of getting melanoma:
- Light skin, hair, and eyes
- Fair, sun-sensitive skin that tans poorly or burns easily
- Red or blond hair, blue or green eyes
- Moles: 50 or more small moles
- Unusual-looking moles that are often larger than normal and have uneven edges
- Past sunburns or indoor tanning
- Had a previous melanoma or other skin cancer
- Relatives (parent, child, sibling, cousin, aunt, uncle) who have had melanoma
Warning signs of Melanoma:
A common warning sign of melanoma is change. Melanoma may start in an existing mole. A change to the shape, color, or diameter (size) of a mole can be a sign of melanoma. Other changes to watch for include a mole that becomes painful or begins to bleed or itch. Not all melanomas start with a mole. Some begin suddenly on normal skin. A sudden, new growth could be melanoma. When you examine your skin, it is helpful to look for the ABCDEs of melamona detection:
A stands for ASYMMETRY: one-half does not look like the other half.
B stands for BORDER: irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined border.
C stands for COLOR: too dark or too many colors; shades of tan and brown, black; sometimes white, red, or blue.
D stands for DIAMETER: melanomas are most often greater than 6 millilmeters (the size of a pencil eraser)
E stands for EVOLVING: a mole or skin growth that is changing in size, shape, or color.
It helps to remember that moles are usually one color, round or oval, and have a well-defined border. Melanomas tend to show the opposite and look different from your moles. Deramtologists often tell their patients to look for the "ugly duckling."
TREATMENT OF MELANOMA
Treatment often starts with a complete surgical removal of the melanoma and a margin of normal-looking skin around it. This helps make sure that cancer cells are removed. In its earliest form, melanoma affects just the epidermis, the outer most layer of skin. This type of melanoma is also "in situ" or "stage 0". At this stage, the cure rate with surgical removal is nearly 100 percent. Your dermatologist can remove these melanomas with an office surgery.
If the cancer has spread beyond the skin, treatment will be more involved. The earlier you find a melanoma and receive treatment, the better your prognosis.