While no form of cancer is a laughing matter, some forms are often
considered less dangerous by most people. Skin cancer is one such form
that seems somewhat innocuous, but is actually very dangerous.
The Shinny on Skin Cancer
Any way you cut it, cancer is a scary thing. Next to AIDS, cancer is
just about the last thing you want to hear when you are at the doctor’s
office. Although medical research has come a long way when it comes to
treating many forms of cancer, it is still a horrific diagnosis. Throw
in the fact that chemotherapy treatment is brutal to undergo, and you
have a deadly disease with as nearly a deadly treatment.
As you probably know by now, there are many different forms of cancer.
Some are slow growing and treatable, while others prove to be terminal
in nearly every case. This leads many to consider some cancers more
serious than others. In truth, all cancers are serious and some of the
ones that people brush off as not serious can kill you. Skin cancer is
one such form.
So, what is skin cancer? A simple description is the abnormal growth of
cells on your skin. It tends to be categorized in three ways –
melanoma, basal and squamous. Anyone can get skin cancer, but
individuals with fair skin tend to be more susceptible. Dark tans or
naturally dark skin do not protect you against skin cancer – a common
misconception.
Of the three types of skin cancer, melanoma is the most aggressive and
deadly. Fortunately, it is also the rarest of the three. Melanoma is
usually considered to be associated with moles, but not always. The
association is often made because melanoma often is found with
collections of melanocytes, cells that produce the black pigment found
in moles. To the naked eye, it can be difficult to tell the difference
between moles and melanoma. If you have moles, and most people do, the
key is to watch for any changes to the moles such as expansion,
bleeding or itching. If melanoma is not treated early, it can spread to
your lymph nodes and then the rest of the body.
Basal cell and squamous skin cancer are more common, but far less
deadly. Basal tends to stick to the impacted area of the skin and not
spread to the internal body. It should be treated, but is rarely
considered a terminal situation. Squamous is a less common than Basal,
but packs more of a punch. Although it can spread, it tends to appear
as red, open sores when it does. Unless you completely fail to use
common sense by seeing a doctor at some point, it rarely makes it to a
terminal state.
Unlike many forms of cancer, skin cancer is preventable if you use
common sense. If you are going to be outside in the sun for a
significant time, wear sun block with a SPF 15 rating or better. Avoid
tanning booths, which can cause the same damage as the sun. If you have
moles, check them once a month in the mirror for any noticeable
changes, bleeding. If a mole starts to itch, it is time to make an
appointment with a dermatologist.
