Home / Causes / All You Need To Know About Skin Cancer
Causes

All You Need To Know About Skin Cancer

All you need to know about skin cancer

Cancer has been a disease that has manifested itself to be one of the scariest diseases of the century. Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer that affects people in the country. It can develop on any part of the skin such as the epidermis, dermis, and subcutis. In the advanced stages, it can spread to nearby tissues and organs.

All You Need To Know About Skin Cancer

What are the types of skin cancer?
Skin cancer commonly occurs as two types; the other types are not as common.

  • Keratinocyte cancer develops in the cells of the skin known as keratinocytes. It has two subtypes, BCC (Basal Cell Carcinoma) and SCC (Squamous Cell Carcinoma).
  • Melanoma is the second major type of skin cancer. It develops in the melanocyte cells of the skin. These cells are responsible for generating the brown pigment of the skin.
  • Other types of cancer that are not so common are Merkel cell carcinoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, skin adnexal tumors, cutaneous lymphoma and other kinds of sarcomas.

If you check out photos of skin cancer, you can distinguish between the different types of cancer.

How frequent is each type of skin cancer?
According to a study, 50% of the population in the country develops either BCC or SCC at least once in their lifetime. Every year in the country, around 3.5 million cases of BCC and SCC are diagnosed. In the year 2014, approximately 76,000 cases of melanoma were diagnosed in the country.

Basal Cell Carcinoma develops on the back, neck, hands, arms, scalp, and face of a person. This is because these areas of the body get exposed to the sun. Squamous Cell Carcinoma also appears mostly in those parts of the body that are exposed to the sun. However, both BCC and SCC can also develop on areas that are not exposed to sunlight such as inside the mouth and on the genitals.

Melanoma is a serious and dangerous type of cancer. If you look at the skin cancer photos, you can see that melanoma can look like a regular mole when it develops on the skin. Compared to BCC or SCC, melanoma affects a lesser number of people. However, it is deadly cancer that affects men more than women.

The third type of cancer that develops in the skin is actinic keratosis (AK). When skin is exposed frequently to the sun, it is damaged by the ultraviolet rays. As a result, dry, rough and scaly patches develop on the skin. This cancerous condition known as actinic keratosis is not as common as melanoma or keratinocyte cancer. More than 58 million people in the United States have AK. The chances for getting cancer of the skin increase with age. 50% people in the country develop keratinocyte cancer by the time they are 65 years old.

Which age group is affected by skin cancer?
Men who are over 50 years old have a greater chance of being diagnosed with BCC or SCC. The most common type of cancer in those aged between 25 and 29 is melanoma. People whose skin is exposed to the UV rays of the sun for a long time have a greater chance of being diagnosed with skin cancer.

Risk factors of skin cancer
The common risk factors are as follows:

  • The color of the skin
    People who have fairer skin are prone to have cancer of the skin. In this group, people with red or blonde hair have a greater chance of developing cancer on any part of their skin.
  • Sunburn
    Exposure to the harmful UV rays of the sun can result in sunburns and blisters which increases the chance of melanoma.
  • Family
    If a member of your family has cancer in any part of the skin, your chances of developing cancer are high.
  • Use of tobacco
    People who chew tobacco or smoke have a greater chance of developing SCC in the throat or mouth.
  • Health history
    People with autoimmune disease or those who have had an organ transplant have a greater chance of developing cancer of the skin. Certain medicines, if taken for a long time, such as immunosuppressant drugs also increases the risk.
  • Altitude
    People who stay at high altitudes have higher chances of developing melanoma, BCC or SCC because the UV rays of the sun are much stronger at higher altitudes.

Common symptoms of skin cancer
The common symptoms are as follows:

  • Bleeding from a particular area of the skin
  • Scaliness
  • A sore that is not healing
  • A mole that has irregular borders
  • Spreading pigment in an area of the skin
  • Sudden itchiness, tenderness or pain
  • A fast-growing spot on the skin

You must book an appointment if you find any of these symptoms. You can check out pictures of skin cancer for understanding the symptoms better.

When you follow a few basic preventive measures, the risk of getting affected by skin cancer is considerably reduced.

Avoid the sun especially when the UV rays are powerful. Before you go out in the sun, apply a sunscreen on your skin. .

Treatment for skin cancer
Cryosurgery, surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, and photodynamic therapy are the common methods of treatment. The treatment for skin cancer is successful if cancer has not spread.

Disclaimer:
The content provided on our blog site traverses numerous categories, offering readers valuable and practical information. Readers can use the editorial team’s research and data to gain more insights into their topics of interest. However, they are requested not to treat the articles as conclusive. The website team cannot be held responsible for differences in data or inaccuracies found across other platforms. Please also note that the site might also miss out on various schemes and offers available that the readers may find more beneficial than the ones we cover.

Most Recommended Blogs

Identification And Treatment Of Kidney Stones
Health & Wellness

Identification And Treatment Of Kidney Stones

Identification and treatment of kidney stones A kidney stone is formed when there is a gradual buildup of material in the kidney through substances in the urine. It has a plethora of causes and can affect any part of the urinary tract from the kidneys to the bladder. The stones can be as small as grains of sand or as big as pearls.
How Can You Control The Symptoms Of Liver Damage
Health & Wellness

How Can You Control The Symptoms Of Liver Damage

How can you control the symptoms of liver damage? The liver is an integral part of a human body. It is located just under the rib cage on the right side of the abdomen. The liver helps in digestion and removes toxins from the body. It filters out all the blood coming out of the digestive tract before it goes to the rest of the body.
Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) Infection – An Overview
Health & Wellness

Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) Infection – An Overview

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection – An overview H. pylori can be described as a common bacteria found in the human digestive tract. These have the tendency of attacking the lining of the stomach. These bacteria are the main reason for stomach infections. Typically speaking, H. pylori infections do not tend to be harmful, but they are responsible for ulcers in the small intestine and the stomach.
Everything You Need To Know About The Flu
Health & Wellness

Everything You Need To Know About The Flu

Everything you need to know about the flu Flu is a common viral infection that can affect anyone. In some cases, the flu can be deadly. It is often mistaken as other health conditions because of the symptoms it exhibits. Flu is contagious. Every person is affected by the flu at least once in their life.
Head And Neck Cancer Treatment Options In The Country
Health & Wellness

Head And Neck Cancer Treatment Options In The Country

Head and neck cancer treatment options in the country Most cancers of the head and neck are curable if they are caught at an early stage. Apart from eliminating cancer, which is the primary goal, preserving the functionalities of the nearby organs, nerves, tissues, and glands are also very important.
An Overview Of Frequent Urination- Causes, Symptoms, And Treatment
Health & Wellness

An Overview Of Frequent Urination- Causes, Symptoms, And Treatment

An overview of frequent urination- Causes, symptoms, and treatment Frequent urination, as the name suggests, is the recurrent urge to pass urine more often than usual. An individual’s everyday normal routine and sleep cycle can be disrupted by this condition. Frequent urination may be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
Things To Consider Before Going For Head And Neck Cancer Treatment
Health & Wellness

Things To Consider Before Going For Head And Neck Cancer Treatment

Things to consider before going for head and neck cancer treatment The head and neck are the most vital and fragile parts of the body. If diagnosed with head and neck cancer, there are a lot of things that should be kept in mind before starting the treatment. One should know how long the treatment would take and what are the chances of them defeating it.
Everything You Need To Know About Frequent Urination
Health & Wellness

Everything You Need To Know About Frequent Urination

Everything you need to know about frequent urination Frequent urination is called polyuria in medical terminology. Also called frequency, it is a condition many people live with and do not seek medical assistance as they consider it to be a normal thing. Frequent urination means a desire to pass urine more often than what is normal for them.
Best Detox Drinks That Can Help You Lose Weight
Health & Wellness

Best Detox Drinks That Can Help You Lose Weight

Best Detox drinks that can help you lose weight If you have tried a lot of methods to lose weight and still are unable to shed those extra pounds then detox water and other healthy drinks might be the answer for you. Drinking detox water helps the body in many ways.
Low Calorie Health Drink Ideas For Winners
Health & Wellness

Low Calorie Health Drink Ideas For Winners

Low-calorie health drink ideas for winners Low-calorie health drinks are becoming more and more popular with every passing day, as people start to realize the number of health benefits these drinks bring to the table. Healthy drinks not only have low-calorie content but also contain varying amounts of nutrients and antioxidants.
Signs And Symptoms Of Internal Hemorrhoids
Health & Wellness

Signs And Symptoms Of Internal Hemorrhoids

Signs and symptoms of internal hemorrhoids Hemorrhoids, also known as piles are of two types: internal & external. They are essentially swollen veins found in your anus or lower rectum and consist of blood vessels, elastic fibers, and multiple tissues. It is a common medical condition and found among most US citizens before they touch the age of 50.
Treatment Options For The Prolapsed Bladder Condition
Health & Wellness

Treatment Options For The Prolapsed Bladder Condition

Treatment options for the prolapsed bladder condition The bladder is a muscular sac located just behind the pubic bone, which stores urine. The front wall of the vagina supports the bladder in women, and it weakens or loosens with age. If it continues to deteriorate, it can lead to a prolapsed bladder or fallen bladder condition.
Everything You Should Know About Treating Gas Problems
Health & Wellness

Everything You Should Know About Treating Gas Problems

Everything you should know about treating gas problems Gas can be quite embarrassing to deal with, to say the least. However, the problem of a gassy stomach extends far beyond just embarrassment and can actually be a very painful experience indeed. Also known as flatulence, a gassy stomach is characterized by the excessive buildup of gas inside the digestive tract.
An Overview Of Fibromyalgia Pain
Health & Wellness

An Overview Of Fibromyalgia Pain

An overview of fibromyalgia pain Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes pain, stiffness, and tenderness in muscles, tendons, and joints throughout the body. People experience fibromyalgia pain differently, and its triggers vary from one person to another. The condition can affect anyone, but it is seen more often in women.
Remedies And Treatment For The Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) Infection
Health & Wellness

Remedies And Treatment For The Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) Infection

How to manage and treat the symptoms of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection? Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are bacteria that enter our body and live in the digestive tract. They are usually harmless and infect the stomachs of roughly 60 percent of the world’s population. The spiral-shaped bacteria usually don’t cause any symptoms but have a tendency to attack the stomach lining, leading to diseases, including peptic ulcers and an inflammatory stomach condition known as gastritis.
Factors Triggering Fibromyalgia Pain And Ways To Alleviate It
Health & Wellness

Factors Triggering Fibromyalgia Pain And Ways To Alleviate It

Factors triggering fibromyalgia pain and ways to alleviate it Generally, when a person is injured or hurt, the signal travels all the way from the injury point to the brain and the brain comprehends this as pain. The brain signals the body to respond accordingly. Slowly, the pain lessens with time and treatment and finally goes away.