Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. The three main types of skin cancer are basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas and the more serious malignant melanoma. Contact to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays appears to be the most vital environmental factor involved in the expansion of skin cancer. When used time and again, sun-protective practices can avert skin cancer. UV rays from artificial sources of light, such as tanning beds and sunlamps, are as risky as those from the sun and should also be avoided. If early symptoms of skin cancer can be marked clearly, the treatment will be more successful.
Risk Factors of skin cancer
• Being exposed to a lot of natural or artificial sunlight.
• Having scars or burns on the skin.
• Having a fair complexion (blond or red hair, fair skin, green or blue eyes, history of freckling).
• Having chronic skin inflammation or skin ulcers.
• Being treated with radiation.
• Taking immunosuppressive drugs (for example, after an organ transplant).
• Having actinic keratosis.
• Being exposed to arsenic.
Symptoms of skin cancer
Addition symptoms may be:
• A small spot or mole that’s shiny or pale in color, and smooth in texture.
• A sore or spot that bleeds or become crusty. Look for sores that don't heal in a timely manner or at all.
• A red firm lump on the skin that’s firm
• Scaly rough patches on the skins surface.
• Flat spots of the skin that are red or brown in color
• Any new growth that seems suspicious and or is increasing in size
Treatments of Skin cancer
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping the cells from dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body.
Surgery
The tumor is cut from the skin in thin layers. During surgery, the edges of the tumor and each layer of tumor removed are viewed through a microscope to check for cancer cells. Layers continue to be removed until no more cancer cells are seen. This type of surgery removes as little normal tissue as possible and is often used to remove skin cancer on the face.
Photodynamic therapy
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a cancer treatment that employs a drug and a particular category of laser light to exterminate cancer cells. A drug that is not active until it is exposed to light is injected into a vein. The drug collects more in cancer cells than in normal cells. Fiberoptic tubes are then employed to send the laser light to the cancer cells, where the drug becomes active and destroys the cells. Photodynamic therapy causes little harm to healthy tissue.
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