• Early detection is the surest way to a cure.
• Types of Skin Cancer
• How Skin Cancer is Treated
• Periodic Self-Examination

Early detection is the surest way to a cure.

Develop a regular routine to inspect your body for any skin changes. If any growth, mole, sore or skin discoloration appears suddenly or begins to change, see your dermatologist. Each of the skin cancers can be treated if detected early. The ABCDs of skin cancer include any change or development in a mole or skin growth that should prompt you to see a doctor including the characteristics listed below. Generally look for the mole or pigmented lesion that stands out as looking different from your other moles.

• A- Asymmetry: You should notice the general look of your moles or growths, for example, if one-half of the mole or growth does not match the other half.
  
  
• B- Border Irregularity: Notice if the edges of the mole or growth are ragged, notched or blurred.
  
  
• C- Color: The pigmentation of the growth is not uniform. Shades of tan, brown and black are present. Dashes of red, white and blue add to the mottled appearance.
  
  
• D- Diameter: If the width is greater than 6 mm (about the size of a pencil eraser), it could be an indicator of an abnormal skin growth. Generally, any new mole growth should be a concern.

Examples: Asymmetry | Border | Color | Diameter
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Types of Skin Cancer

Precancerous skin conditions

Actinic keratoses are small scaly spots most commonly found on the face, lower arms and back of the hands. 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 dermatologic surgical procedures. Sunscreens help prevent actinic keratoses.

Basal cell carcinoma

This skin 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 of the body as red patches. Basal cell carcinomas are the most common skin cancers found in fair-skinned people. These tumors don't spread quickly. It can take many months or years for one to grow to a diameter of one-half inch. Untreated, the cancer will begin to bleed, crust over, heel, and then the cycle repeats.

Although this type of cancer rarely metastasizes (spreads to other parts of the body), it can extend below the skin to the bone and cause considerable local damage.

Squammous cell carcinoma

This skin cancer may appeal as a bump, or as a red, scaly patch. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common skin cancer found in fair-skinned persons. Typically, it is found on the rim of the ear, the face, the lips and mouth. This cancer can develop into large masses. Unlike basal cell carcinoma, it can metastasize. When found early and treated properly, the cure rate by dermatologic surgery for both basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma is 95 percent.

Malignant melanoma

It is projected that this most deadly of all skin cancers will develop on the skin of 44,000 Americans annually. Every year, an estimated 73,000 Americans will die from melanoma. 1 in 70 Caucasians may be at risk of developing melanoma in his or her lifetime. It is important to note that the death rate is at last declining because patients are seeking treatment earlier. Like all skin cancer, melanoma is almost always curable when detected in its early stages.

Melanoma begins in 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 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 early recognition and treatment essential.

Melanoma may suddenly appear without warning, but it may also begin in or near a mole, or another dark spot on the skin. It is important to know the location and appearance of the moles on your body. The most important step you can take to recognizing skin cancer is to have any changing mole examined by a dermatologist.

Excessive sun exposure, particularly sunburn is the most important preventable cause of melanoma. Heredity also plays a part since a person has an increased chance of developing melanoma if a family member has had melanoma. Atypical moles (dyplasticevi), which may run in families, and a high number of moles, can serve as markers for people at higher risk for developing melanoma.

Dark brown or black skin is not a guarantee against melanoma. Dark-skinned people can develop melanoma, especially on the palms of the hand, sole of the feel, under nails or in the mouth. Warning signs of melanoma include: changes in the surface of a mole, sealiness, oozing, bleeding or the appearance of a new bump, spread of pigment from the border into surrounding skin and change in sensation including itchiness, tenderness or pain.
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How Skin Cancer is Treated

If a skin biopsy reveals that an area of the skin is cancerous, the dermatologist has an array of surgical procedures to treat the cancer depending on the needs of the individual patient.

• Cryosurgery: Liquid nitrogen is used to freeze and kill cancerous cells.
  
  
• Electrodesiccation and curettage: The area is scraped off with a curette. This process is commonly used on small cancers and may leave a scar.
  
  
• Excision: Cancerous tissue is surgically removed, leaving a scar after the procedure.
  
  
• Moh's surgery: Named for the developer of the technique, this procedure involves removal of the tumor in layers. The layers are then viewed through a microscope to determine the stage of the cancer. This process usually makes it possible to save the skin surrounding the tumor, minimizing the amount of tissue that needs to be surgically removed.
  
  
• Chemotherapy: Anti-cancer drugs circulate through the bloodstream, attacking and killing cancer cells.
  
  
• Radiation: The tumor is destroyed with X-ray type radiation.
  
• Immunotherapy: Medications such as Aldara or Interferon are used in combination with surgery to stimulate the body's own defenses to fight cancer.

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Periodic Self-Examination

Prevention is the best weapon against skin cancer. If a melanoma should develop, it is almost always curable if caught in the early stages. Practice periodic self-examination to aid in early recognition of any new or developing lesion. The following is one way of self-examination that will ensure no area of the body is neglected. To perform your self-examination, you will need a full-length mirror, a hand mirror and a brightly-lit room. Consider taking close-up photographs of any suspicious moles to follow for any change in size, shape or color.

1. Examine body front and back in the mirror, then right and left sides of the body with arms raised.
   
   
2. Bend elbows, look carefully at forearms, back of upper arms and palms.
   
   
3. Next, look at backs of legs and feet, spaces between toes and soles.
   
   
4. Examine back of neck and scalp with hand mirror. Part hair and lift to visualize.
   
   
5. Finally, check back and buttocks with a hand mirror.

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