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Skin Cancer Signs, Treatments and Prevention

You may think your moles are highly unattractive, but have you ever thought that they can be indicators of skin cancer? Here are some scary statistics on skin cancer: It is the #1 most common form of cancer in the United States and is diagnosed more regularly than all other cancers COMBINED. Now the other scary part – skin cancer is very preventable, but many of us are, in essence, inviting it into our bodies with unsafe sun exposure and tanning. For a little brush-up on skin cancer 101, read the facts on skin cancer signs, treatment and prevention. It can potentially save your life…

What is skin cancer? The are three types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which are both non-melanomas, and melanoma. Melanoma begins in the melanocytes, cells which produce melanin, or the brown pigment in the skin. Melanoma tends to metastasize, or spread, more easily than the other forms of skin cancer, making it more deadly if not caught early on. Basal cell carcinoma grows slowly and rarely metastasizes while squamous cell carcinoma usually stays in the epidermis but can metastasize. Unhealthy moles are usually the best indicators of all of the three types of skin cancer.

Most of us have some sort of brownish spot on our skin in the forms of birthmarks, freckles and moles, but the majority of these spots will be normal and non-cancerous. The ABC’s (and D) were not only important in kindergarten, but could potentially save your life when it comes to detecting skin cancer at its earliest stages. The ABC’s of skin cancer include:

A – Asymmetry: If a mole is not round or symmetrical, or one half of the mole is not similar to the other half, it could be a sign of melanoma.

B – Border Irregularity: Cancerous moles have irregular borders that may be being uneven, ragged, notched, or blurred.

C – Color: The typical color of a mole is consistently brown throughout. A mole that has changed color over time or is varied in a shade of brown, tan and black may be cancerous. If melanoma has progressed, the mole may become red, blue or white.

D – Diameter: Cancerous moles can be more than six millimeters in diameter (about ¼ inch or the size of a pencil eraser).

Other mole variations that may indicate melanoma include elevation in height from the skin surface both horizontally or vertically, or a change in feeling such as itchiness, tenderness or pain, and the tendency to bleed if scratched. Generally, people with moles on their body, especially a lot of moles, should frequently inspect them using the ABC’s of skin cancer in order detect it as early as possible.

Now that you’re familiar with skin cancer’s signs, see a dermatologist for a biopsy if you suspect your mole may be cancerous. Fortunately, skin cancer surgery and medications can help fight and kill the cancer, some less invasive and drastic than others. They include:

Cryosurgery: Cancerous cells are frozen off and destroyed by the application of liquid nitrogen.

Excision: The cancerous tissue is removed during surgery, leaving only a scar behind.

Electrodessication and Curettage: For small cancers, this procedure involves scraping the area with a curette, which may also leave a scar.

Chemotherapy: Cancerous cells are attacked and destroyed by the circulation of anti-cancer drugs throughout the bloodstream.

Radiation: Cancer is destroyed with x-ray type radiation.
Immunotherapy: Along with skin cancer surgery, some medications like Aldara and Interferon are used to help the body better fight the cancer.

Although recognizing skin cancer signs and taking care of your skin is the key to skin cancer prevention, heredity can be a factor in the likelihood of getting skin cancer if a family member has had melanoma. Too much exposure to the sun, whether deliberately (i.e. tanning) or not, puts you at a greater risk for developing skin cancer. It’s so important to always wear sunscreen with an SPF factor of 15 or higher, wear protective clothing such as hats and sunglasses and to avoid prolonged hours in the sun.

Now that you’re a little more educated on the skin cancer signs, treatments and prevention, you may have decreased your likelihood of becoming one of the scary statistics on skin cancer. Make a promise to yourself to be sun-smart and regularly examine your skin for any new growths or changes to moles.