3 Types of Skin Cancers - Characteristics And Treatment

If you are prone to sun burn and work in the sun a lot then it makes sense to get you skin checked out at least once a year by a professional. Skin cancer screening is a process where your skin is examined for any blemishes, marks or bumps that may be cancerous. It can identify potential problems early on and thus increase the chances of treating the disease effectively and without fuss. However, you should also examine your skin from time to time for any changes. In order to do this successfully you need to know a bit about skin cancer. This article will list the three types of skin cancer and their typical signs and treatment.

There are 3 types of skin cancers. The first two are the most commonly diagnosed types of the disease. They are also the most treatable because in most cases the disease does not spread but is localized to a particular part of the body. They are easily treated in most cases however on rare occasions they may spread making early diagnose all the more important.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

The most common form of the three types of skin cancer is known as basal cell carcinoma. Typical signs of basal cell carcinoma are a waxy bump that appears on the face or neck. Other signs are brown or flesh colored marks that may look like an old scar. They can appear anywhere on the body but are more common on the back or chest.

It is simple to treat basal cell carcinoma because it is generally benign, meaning that it will not spread to other parts of the body. This means it is safe to remove the bump or mark without it leading to other skin cancers. Removal can be done in a doctor's surgery. It involves administering a local anesthetic and cutting the carcinoma away.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is similar to basal cell carcinoma and has the same methods for treatment. However it is more liable to spread than the other type and therefore needs to be treated immediately it is diagnosed.

A red nodule or bump that is hard or firm to touch is a typical manifestation of squamous cell carcinoma. It will develop from this to have scaly or flaky skin at the surface that may peel. Eventually it will become a lesion that may bleed. It can occur anywhere on the body but the common areas are the face, neck, arms and hands. It can also appear on the lips and ears sometimes. Treatment involves cutting away the carcinoma or freezing it.

Melanoma

Melanoma is the least common type of skin cancer but it is also the most serious. Melanoma has the potential to spread to other parts of the body. It could move to the lymph nodes which accelerates the spreading of the disease to other areas of the body including vital organs. If it is not treated, melanoma can lead to death. This is why screening and self examination is important to treating skin cancer. You should be aware of any changes to your skin and mention them to the doctor when you are screened. They can make a professional diagnosis or take a biopsy.

It is important to be aware of the three types of skin cancer as you can be alerted to any potential skin problems with this knowledge. However it is far better to prevent skin cancer from occurring than ever having to go through a procedure to remove skin cancers. Prevention means limiting your exposure to ultraviolet rays either by avoiding them or wearing some form of protection against them.

Article Source: http://www.share.onlypunjab.com

For more information on the symptoms and dangers of skin cancer visit symptomsofskincancer.net. The site covers skin cancer on the nose and popular sun creams.

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