Skin Cancer – 1,000,000 Americans Will Get It In 2009!
INTRODUCTION: Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy, well ahead of lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. The disease generally develops in the epidermis (the outer most skin layer), so a tumor is usually clearly visible.
When left untreated, it can be very dangerous, but with early discovery and intervention most are curable. There are 3 common types of skin cancer, each of which is named after the kind of skin cell from which it arises. More than one million US residents will be diagnosed with skin cancer in 2008.
CAUSE: Skin cancer is a malignant skin growth which can have many causes. It is usually caused by excessive exposure of skin to UV rays. Cancers caused by UV exposure may be prevented by avoiding excessive exposure to sunlight or other Ultraviolet sources, and by wearing clothing that offers protection from the sun.
Many people go out of their way to get an artificial tan before they depart for a sunny vacation, because they want to get a “base coat” to reduce the risk of sun damage. Sunburn, due to a type of ultraviolet (UV) light known as UVB, has served as a surrogate for much more serious conditions like melanoma and basal and squamous cell carcinoma, three common types of skin cancer.
RISK: Although it is impossible to completely eliminate the chance of developing skin cancer, the risk of developing it can be reduced significantly using the following steps: reducing exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, especially in the childhood years, avoiding sunburns (NOTE: New studies have shown that sunscreen does not offer protection from melanoma). Although it is generally accepted that Ultraviolet exposure is the greatest risk factor in melanoma development, some skeptics say that there is no actual proven data that links moderate exposure to the sun with the appearance of melanoma.
The chances of acquiring skin cancer is also affected by where a person lives. People who live in areas that receive the highest levels of Ultraviolet radiation from the sun are more apt to develop skin cancer. In the US, for example, skin cancer is found more often in Texas than it is in Minnesota, where the sun is not as strong. Internationally, the highest rates of skin cancer are found in South Africa and Australia, which are areas that receive very high amounts of UV radiation.
TYPES: The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) which may be locally disfiguring but are unlikely to metastasize (spread to other parts of the body). The most dangerous type of skin cancer is malignant melanoma.
TREATMENT: Nearly all skin cancers can be treated by removal of the lesion, making sure that the edges (margins) are free of the cancerous cells. However,it is important that the tumors are found and treated early because they can invade and destroy nearby tissue.
CONCLUSION: Skin cancer is the most common form of human malignancies and is also known as skin neoplasia. The use of sunscreen is recommended by medical authorities as a preventative to help protect against skin cancer (NOTE: New studies however have shown that sunscreen offers no protection from melanoma). Approximately 65 percent of melanomas and 90% of basal and squamous cell skin cancers are attributed to Utraviolet exposure. Even though it is rare, malignant melanoma is responsible for 75% of all skin cancer related death cases.
It has also been estimated that almost half of all Americans who reach the age 65 will develop skin cancer at least once. The most common warning sign of a skin malignancy is a change in the skins appearance, such as a new growth or a sore that will not heal. The greatest number of skin cancers appear after age 50, but the sun’s damaging effects begin early in life. Therefore, protection should start during childhood in order to prevent skin cancer later in life.
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