What You Need to Know About Skin Cancer
Most known types of cancers begin with one or a group of cells that, instead of dying, begin uncontrollably dividing and spreading into nearby tissues. The process results in a mass of tissue known as a tumour. Cancer tumours may be benign or malignant. While the former is removed safely through surgery, the latter may require chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation. Skin cancer follows the same stages of development and treatment.
Like other types of cancer, skin cancer affects specific areas of the body. It also has its own set of causes, symptoms, and treatments. This article will talk about them and more.
What is skin cancer?
Skin cancer is the abnormal growth of one or a group of cells in the skin—rapid mutations of the unrepaired damaged skin cells’ DNA cause this abnormality.
These genetic changes could lead to one of the three most common types of skin cancers: melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and basal cell carcinoma (BCC).
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer; SCC is treatable if detected early; BCC is the least threatening among the three.
However, both SCC and BCC can be fatal if undetected and untreated early.
What are skin cancer’s common symptoms?
The three common types of skin cancer are known for their unique characteristics, specifically in terms of colours, texture, size, coverage, and other factors. They can appear as large brown spots, dark speckles or freckles, stubborn lesions, or abnormally sized moles on the skin.
For most people, these skin traits are common and harmless. Early detection through a skin biopsy is hard until patients start to show worrying and more pronounced symptoms.
Understanding the causes of skin cancer is one of the best ways to raise awareness, especially on the importance of getting tested early.
What causes skin cancer?
According to medical oncology experts, the most common cause of skin cancer is constant exposure to extreme ultraviolet radiation.
It’s not surprising that skin cancer hospitals in NZ observe thousands of cases annually. We see high levels of UV rays during a large part of the year.
Artificial sources of UV, including sunlamps and tanning beds, have also been identified as the main culprit and contributor to the rising statistics.
The same statistics also observed that individuals who suffered from severe sunburns or similar levels of skin damage in their younger years are most prone to skin cancer.
Additionally, skin cancer is genetic. People with a family history of skin cancer may be susceptible to the disease.
How do you detect early signs of skin cancer?
As mentioned earlier, skin cancer can manifest as abnormally shaped or coloured spots, freckles, or moles. Consulting a medical oncologist will help you identify, diagnose, and treat skin cancer before it’s too late.
Your chosen skin cancer clinic should have medical oncologists and nurses with vast experience in research, education, and cancer patient care. This extensive depth of knowledge and practice will help you get the best treatment that you deserve.
Cancer Treatment in Gurgaon | Best Cancer Doctor in Gurugram | Dr. Deepak Jha Dr. Deepak Jha is specialized in Breast Surgery & Department of Surgical Oncology at Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon.
He was previously associated with Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital & He is the best is best cancer specialists in Haryana, Gurugram, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh
