Skin Cancer – One of the Most Treatable Types of Cancer
Skin cancer is a disease that affects many but is understood by few. The more you know about this often deadly disease, the better chance that you have of protecting yourself against it. As a matter of fact, a full fifty percent of all skin cancer cases are found by a self examination. In this article, we’ll go over some basic skin cancer facts and give you some guidelines to help you determine whether or not you should visit a doctor regarding a possible case of skin cancer.
Skin cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer, occurring in an estimated 1 in 5 Americans throughout their lifetime. There are actually three different forms of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. The two carcinoma forms of skin cancer are rarely deadly, and account for approximately 15% of all deaths from skin cancer. They do not spread to different parts of the body, so they are relatively easy to treat via a biopsy. Malignant melanoma represents a very significant risk to ones health. The disease is the only type of skin cancer that spreads, and therein lies the problem. Melanoma is caused by the pigment-producing cells in our body known as melanocytes. As a matter of fact, moles are benign growths of the melanocytes, and the more moles that a person has, the more significant their risk of contracting malignant melanoma becomes.
The most prominent factor in developing skin cancer is an over-exposure to UV rays. This is most often caused by the rays of the sun or the bulbs in tanning beds. To that end, one can greatly reduce their risk of developing skin cancer by employing simple practices such as wearing sunscreen when they go to the beach. Also, it’s important to avoid any outdoor activity between the periods of 11 AM and 3 PM. The sun’s UV rays hit the hardest during this period of the day, so any outdoor activities should be done before or after this intense period. While using tanning beds to achieve a tan isn’t any safer than being in the sun, using a bed does allow you to limit the amount of exposure to UV rays your body will face. To that end, those wishing to maintain a tan should carefully monitor the amount of UV rays that they subject their body to.
As stated before, most cases of skin cancer are first discovered via a self-examination.
To perform a self-examination, you should check every inch of your body for the following symptoms:
- Moles that are asymmetrical or have irregular borders represent a significant risk of a case of malignant melanoma. Also, moles that change in color or grow significantly in size should be examined by a doctor.
- One of the carcinoma types of skin cancer may be present if you find a lump anywhere on your skin, or a sore that continuously oozes or bleeds.
If a self-examination yields any of the above symptoms, it’s important to settle the issue with your doctor immediately. Early detection is important when it comes to treating skin cancer.