About Skin Cancer

Actinic Keratoses

Small scaly spots most commonly found on the face, lower arms, and back of hands in fair-skinned individuals who may have had significant sun exposure. If not treated, some Actinic Keratoses may become skin cancers, requiring more extensive treatment.

If diagnosed in the early stages, Actinic Keratoses can be removed by cryotherapy (freezing), by applying a cream or lotion form of chemotherapy, or by chemical peeling, dermabrasion, laser surgery or other dermatological surgical procedures.

If diagnosed in the early stages, Actinic Keratoses can be removed by cryotherapy (freezing), by applying a cream or lotion form of chemotherapy, or by chemical peeling, dermabrasion, laser surgery or other dermatological surgical procedures.

Three Main Types of Skin Cancer Are:

(1) Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)

Nodular BCC

Superficial BCC

Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignancy in humans. It typically occurs in body areas of chronic sun exposure.

BCC is usually slow growing and rarely metastasizes, but it can cause significant local destruction and disfigurement if neglected or treated inadequately.

This skin cancer usually appears as a small, fleshy bump or nodule – most often on the head, neck and hands. Occasionally these cancers may appear on the trunk as red patches.

Untreated, a BCC will begin to bleed, crust over, heal, and then the cycle will repeat.

Treatment:

• Surgery – curettage (a looped blade (curette) is used to scrape away the tumor), surgical excision, mohs microscopic surgery.
• Radiotherapy
• Cryotherapy

(2) Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)

This form of skin cancer is usually the result of long term sun damage to the skin.

A Squamous Cell Carcinoma may appear as a bump, or as a red scaly patch. Typically, it is found on the rim of the ear, the face, the lips, and the mouth. This cancer can develop into large masses and unlike BCC, it can spread. An SCC will enlarge slowly and steadily and can invade neighboring tissue, such as the eye.

Treatment:

• Surgery – curettage (a looped blade (curette) is used to scrape away the tumor), surgical excision, mohs microscopic surgery.
• Radiotherapy
• Cryotherapy

(3) Nonmelanoma
Skin Cancer

Nonmelanoma skin cancer is caused most often by over exposure to the sun. Overexposure includes:

• Occasional intense sunlight exposure during childhood that caused severe sunburn and blistering. This type of exposure is believed to be a factor in BCC.
• Extensive sunlight exposure over many years, which is believed to be a factor in SCC.

Other causes of nonmelanoma skin cancer include exposure to ultraviolet rays from artificial sources, such as tanning beds or sun lamps; repeated exposure to x-rays, certain chemicals, and radioactive substances; and certain ionizing radiation treatments for conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, or acne. Exposure to UV rays from a tanning bed may actually be more harmful than the sun because it is more intense exposure.

Excessive sun exposure is also a known factor to the development of Malignant Melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer. Heredity also plays a part since an individual has an increased chance of developing melanoma if a family member has had melanoma. Atypical moles (dysplastic nevi), which may run in families, and a large number of moles, can serve as markers for people at higher risk for developing melanoma.

Melanoma

(A) ASYMMETRY: one half does not match the other half.

Malignant melanoma is the most aggressive of skin cancers but is almost always curable when detected in its early stages.

Melanoma begins with melanocytes (the skin cells that produce the dark, protective pigment called melanin). It is melanin that makes the skin tan, acting as partial protection against the sun. Melanoma cells usually continue to produce melanin, which accounts for the cancers appearing in mixed shades of tan, brown, and black. Melanoma can also be red or white. Melanoma tends to spread, making treatment essential.

Melanoma may suddenly appear without warning, but may also begin in, or near a mole, or another dark spot on the skin hence the importance of vigilant skin checks. Early detection increases your cure rate.

Warning signs of melanoma include changes in the surface of a mole:

• Scaliness, oozing, bleeding
• Appearance of a new bump
• Spread of pigment from the border into surrounding skin
• Change in sensation including itchiness, tenderness or pain.
• Watch for changes in the number, size, shape, and color of pigmented areas.

Familiarity with your skin and periodic self-examinations will increase the chances of early detection. Non-melanoma skin cancers and malignant melanoma are almost always curable if caught in the early stages.

Familiarity with your skin and periodic self examinations using the "A, B, C, D, & E's" of melanoma examination will increase the chances of early detection.

(B) BORDER IRREGULARITY: the edges are ragged, notched or blurred.

(C) COLOR: the pigmentation is not uniform. Shades of tan, brown, and black are present. Dashes of red, white and blue add to the mottled appearance.

(D) DIAMETER: the width is greater than six millimeters (about the size of a pencil eraser). Any growth of a mole should be of concern.

(E) ELEVATION: evolutionary changes or enlarging at a faster rate than neighbouring lesions or any mole that has changed.

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