Abstract
Skin cancers are cancers that affect the skin. These include melanoma, basal and squamous cell cancers. The symptoms include skin color change and appearance of skin ulcers, as well as, alterations in the moles that are on the skin. Smoking and ultraviolet radiations are some of the leading causes of skin cancer. The condition may be treated through radiations, chemotherapy among other means.
Introduction
Skin cancers refer to the types of cancer that affect the skin. These cancers include the basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer and melanoma. The basal cell cancer is the type of cancer that arises from the middle layer, has more likelihood of spreading, and may lead to death if not treated. The melanoma type of skin cancer originates in the cells that are involved with the produce the skin pigment known as malanocytes. Lack of treatment may cause the cancer to be fatal. Skin cancer has become among the common cancer types in US (National Cancer Institute).
The basal cell carcinoma mainly appears on the skin parts that are usually exposed to the sun with the face being the most affected part. The basal cell carcinoma metastasizes on rare occasions and do cause death on rare occasions. The cancer is easily treated using surgical operations or by the use of radiations. The squamous cell carcinoma, on the other hand, is not as common as the basal cell carcinoma, but they metastasize in a more frequent way than the basal cell carcinoma. Other than the squamous cell carcinoma affecting the ear, lips, and in patients who are immunosuppressed, the other forms of squamous cell carcinoma metastasize at a low rate. The melanoma is the only form of skin cancer that is least frequent. The melanomas metastasize in a more frequent way and have a potential to cause death when they spread. The malignant melanoma appears asymmetrical with irregular borders. It has varying colorations and has a diameter of more than 6 mm (Swetter).
There are different signs and symptoms that appear during the incidents of skin cancer (National Cancer Institute). The symptoms include skin color change and appearance of skin ulcers, as well as, alterations in the moles that are on the skin. The basal cell carcinoma is presented as a smooth, pearly bump that is raised and appears on the portions of the skin that have a direct exposure to the sun. These parts include parts of the head, shoulder, and neck. In some cases, the small blood vessels appear even in the absence of the tumor. The center of the tumor may experience bleeding and clustering, and in most cases, it is confused for a sore that is not healing (Rockoff).
Squamous cell carcinoma appears as a red, thickened patch and appeared after the skin has been exposed to the sun. They are red in color with some being firm hard nodules with a dome like shape. There may be bleeding and ulceration and may develop to be a large mass if not treated. On the other side, the symptoms of melanoma include being brown to black while others are red, pink or fleshy in color. Some of the warming signs of associated with melanoma are changes in shape, size as well as, the mole elevation (Rockoff).
The leading of skin cancer is the ultraviolet radiations that originate from the sun. Other factors that may result to skin cancer include smoking, infection by the HPV genetic syndromes as well as wounds that are not healing. Artificial UV radiations, ionizing radiations, aging, and lack of dark color on the skin are other causes for skin cancer (Saladi and Persaud).
Treatment of skin cancer is usually dependent on cancer type, age of the patient, cancer location, as well as, whether the incident of cancer is the first one, or it is a recurrence. Some of the methods employed in the treatment of skin cancers are surgical excision, radiation, cryosurgery, curettage and desiccation, and Mohs micrographic surgery (National Cancer Institute). In the case of low-risk disease, subjecting the cells to an external beam of radiation, or freezing the cells may offer adequate cure for controlling the disease. Some of the drugs used in chemotherapy management of skin cancer management include 5-fluorouracil and imiquimod. Generally, most of the non-melanoma cases respond well to radiations than melanoma cancers. Most of the non-melanoma skin cancer are curable and can hit a success rate of 100% if the incident is presented to a physician before they can spread (Rockoff).
Preventive measures such are use of Sunscreen have been shown to be effective in preventing both melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma. However, there is minimal evidence that sunscreen is effective in basal cell melanoma prevention. Other protective measures include the use of protective clothing, sunglasses as well as reducing the periods that one is exposed to the sun. There is also need to have regular surveillance especially for those people who are at a higher risk of skin cancer like those with light skin color. The surveillance may be dome through self-examination or by undergoing a physical examination in a clinic. Those people who have ever had skin cancer incidents should seek regular medical examinations to help in early detection of a new form of cancer or reoccurrence of a previous incident (Rockoff).
Conclusion
Three types of skin cancer have been identified, melanoma, basal and squamous cell cancers. Smoking and ultraviolet radiations are some of the leading causes of skin cancer. The conditions usually managed through a number of ways including radiations and chemotherapy.
Works Cited
National Cancer Institute. Skin Cancer. 2013. 16 March 2013.
Rockoff, Alan. Skin Cancer. 2013. 16 March 2013.
Saladi, R. N and A. N. Persaud. "The causes of skin cancer: a comprehensive review." Drugs of Today 41.5 (2005): 37–53.
Swetter, Susan M. Cutaneous Melanoma. 2012. 16 March 2013.
