A Preventable Type Of Cancer (Skin Cancer in General)

Member Name: cezaweza

Product:	Skin Cancer in General
Date:	14/04/09 (119 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None

Disadvantages: Can lead to deadly consequences

Introduction

Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers and frighteningly is on the increase. This may be due to people exposing themselves to harmful rays of the sun which are getting evermore powerful with the damage of the o zone layer, and may also be due to the popular use of one of my pet hates, the sun beds. As you all should be aware, skin cancer is often caused by exposure to the sun, in fact this is the case in a whopping 85% of recorded cases. The cancer generally develops in the epidermis (outermost layer of skin), so a tumour is usually clearly visible. There are actually 3 types of skin cancer, the two most common are called basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, both are rarely fatal and easily treated. The third type is more deadly and known as the malignant melanoma.

When I was younger, my family would often go on holiday to far away, sunny continents such as Africa and North America. I would often decide that I wanted to catch a tan and would 'forget' to put my sun block lotion on occasionally, causing my skin to burn under the harsh sun. I wasn't really aware of the risks otherwise I certainly wouldn't have done it. The worst tanning incident was when I went to Egypt when I was 13. We went the hottest time of the year and my skin literally burnt bright red. This is something I worry is going to catch up with me in a few years time as it seems impossible nothing will happen to me after I damaged my skin so badly. When I was 17, I noticed a small mole on the top of my arm had a dark dot in it and I decided to go to the doctor with it. The doctor took a look at it and said it looked fine but I could get it removed incase it got worse later on. This scared me enough never to ever purposely try and tan my skin again. It really does frustrate me to see a lot of my friends go out in the summer wearing skimpy clothes, which is fair enough, but they don't bother with sun block at all! I have a couple of friends who use sun beds, despite me pleading with them not to.

Who is at risk?

Everyone is at risk, although some people can be more susceptible than others. The people most at risk are:

People with a high amount of moles and / or freckles
People with red or fair hair, blue eyes, fair skin
People who burn easily in the sun
People with a history of the disease in two or more family members

This is not to say that people with darker skin cannot get skin cancer. Black people are said to be the least at risk, however the soles of the feet and palms of the hands can be at risk. Bob Marley famously had skin cancer on his toe, which combined with brain cancer sadly led to his death.
More women than men get melanomas. Skin cancer occurs mainly in the 40-60 year age group, but it can strike at any age (it is the second most common cancer in the young population, 20 - 39 age group). Children are rarely affected however.

Basal Cell Skin Cancer

Basal cell skin cancer takes form in the deep basal cell layer of the epidermis (the outer layer of the skin). It is six to eight times more common than malignant melanoma, but is nowhere near as dangerous as it is slow growing and won't spread to other parts of the body. Despite this, it should still be treated to avoid it spreading and it is important you see your doctor if you have any worries. It is most commonly found in the face and neck. Sunlight is the main cause for this type of cancer.

The first warning signs that you may have this variation of skin cancer may be small lumps, scar-like changes, or eczema-like changes on the skin. Another sign can also be a small sore with raised borders.

These are usually removed surgically, or by exposing the tumour to heat and scraping it off. In other cases, the tumours can be exposed to radiation or frozen with nitrogen.

Squamous Cell Skin Cancer

This variation of skin cancer begins to form in a different layer of the epidermis, the squamous layer. It is not as common as basal cell although it grows faster and is also more likely to be found in the face and neck. It is not a very dangerous cancer but can become more dangerous if not treated in time, so you should seek advice from your doctor as early as possible. Sunlight is the main cause for this type of cancer.

The first warning signs of this cancer are patches of scaly eczema and a sore that will not heal, grows bigger and leads to a tumour. The cancer can grow faster if located near orifices such as eyes, ears and mouth. In rare cases, it can spread through the lymph vessels.

The cancer is often removed surgically, though radiation therapy is sometimes used. A tumour located around an orifice may require more extensive surgery leading to the patient being hospitalised for a while.

Malignant Melanomas

Melanomas are the most dangerous types of skin cancer. This is scary as more than 9,500 people are diagnosed with these a year in the UK. Melanomas occur on sun-damaged skin, and people are particularly at risk if they have sudden, short bursts of sunlight on holiday in places with a particularly strong sun. A malignant melanoma is basically a cancer that forms from a mole.

There are many symptoms to look out for which may indicate you have a malignant melanoma. If you have any of these symptoms, you should notify your doctor immediately. These include moles getting bigger, changing shape or colour, itching or any pain, bleeding or looking inflamed. The mole I had removed was dark on the inside and then had a lighter brown ring around it.

Moles are very easy to treat if they are precancerous. They can be removed under local anaesthetic and an early melanoma will be cured this way. If you leave them however, they will become very difficult to treat and you may need chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Melanomas can spread two ways, horizontally, or downwards which is more dangerous as it may invade the lymph glands.

How To Help Prevent Skin Cancer

A lot can be done to prevent skin cancer. Unfortunately, vanity gets the better of a lot of people and they are not ready to give up their tanning habits, possibly because they underestimate the damage they are doing to their skin or perhaps because they don't think it will ever happen to them. A tan is not a sign of health as is widely believed but a sign that the skin has been damaged by ultraviolet radiation. When skin gets damaged, melanin rushes to the surface to provide protection should it happen again, this gives the appearance of a tan.

Sunburn doubles your risk of skin cancer so it goes without saying that you should use sun block at all times in the summer. You should also keep out of the sun when it is most intense, between 11am and 3pm. You should never use sun beds. If you want a tan, fake it! Fake tan does you no harm at all as no chemicals actually enter your body, just the top layer of your skin.

Summary: Use Sunscreen