Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is most prevalent ailment in human and the high risk is to whom those have fair-skinned appearance. Malignant (cancerous) cells form in the tissues of the skin in a form of tumor and in consequence skin cancer appears. The causes which are considered as factors of this disease are- repeated medical and industrial x-ray exposure, scarring from diseases or burns, occupational exposure to compounds such as coal tar and arsenic, and genetics.

Usually skin cancer begins in the epidermis (upper or outer layer of skin), which is made up of 3 kinds of cells- Squamous cells (Thin, flat cells that form the top layer of the epidermis), Basal cells (Round cells under the squamous cells) and Melanocytes ( Found in the lower part of the epidermis). Skin cancer can appear anywhere on the body, however most commonly it occurs on skin that is often exposed to sunlight, such as the face, neck, hands, and arms. Basal cell cancer, Squamous cell cancer, and Melanoma are the main kinds of cancer which are found more commonly in human body and among these, Melanoma is the most potential and dangerous one.

The common threatening symptoms of skin cancer are- change in the appearance of the skin, such as a new growth or a sore that will not heal, changes in the surface of a mole, scariness, oozing, bleeding, or the appearance of a new bump, spread of pigment from the border of a mole into surrounding skin, change in sensation including itchiness, tenderness, or pain. If you find any skin changes or mole, sore, or skin discoloration appears suddenly then you must consult to a dermatologist for early detection of skin cancer through which you will get a timely cure.

Surgery is the main treatment of skin cancer, however some other major treatment methods are- Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy, Photo Dynamic Therapy, Retinoid and Interferon. Through the surgery, cancerous cell are completely removed by using a local anesthesia. Radiotherapy is sometimes used instead of surgery or after surgery. It lessens the danger of cancer coming back in the future. If patient has a skin cancer that covers a wide area or is discomfited to remove then plastic surgeon operates surgery with the help of oncologist or dermatologist. Skin grafting is sometimes also used if the disease is complicated to repair. Chemotherapy tablets, creams or injections are used in certain circumstances for skin cancer. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is another alternative option to surgery in cases where patient would need a lot of surgery in wide area of skin or where there are several cancers in an area which is not too deep. PDT is not used in deep skin cancer because the light cannot penetrate far enough into the skin.

After the treatment, ultimately patient achieves an attractive and disease less skin to spend more healthy life.