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Skin Cancer Awareness
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Types of Skin Cancer
Basal Cell Carcinoma:
Basal Cell Carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer. It is usually found on sun exposed areas of the body. Basal Cell Carcinoma does not usually spread or travel though the blood stream; rather it infiltrates and destroys surrounding tissue. This type of skin cancer has a high cure rate and there are a number of various treatment options. Once you have had one basal cell carcinoma you have a 40% chance of getting a second basal cell skin cancer within five years.
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Squamous Cell Carcinoma:
The second most common skin cancer is squamous cell carcinoma. The majority of squamous cell carcinomas are found on sun exposed areas. When found early, squamous cell carcinomas have more than a 90% cure rate. More than 300,000 squamous cell carcinomas are diagnosed every year in the United States. Squamous cell carcinomas often develop from small sandpaper-like growths called actinic keratoses. If left untreated squamous cell carcinoma can spread to vital organs or cause damage to surrounding tissue.
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Melanoma Skin Cancer:
Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer. However, if caught early, melanoma is also curable. In 2003, there were approximately 54,000 people diagnosed with melanoma.
Melanoma can develop anywhere on the body. A melanoma can start off looking like a mole or freckle, but tends to change steadily over time. These are characteristics that help distinguish it from a regular mole. They are called the ABCDE’s of melanoma.
A – stands for asymmetry when half of the lesion does not match the other.
B – stands for border irregularity including blurring, notching, or uneven edges.
C – stands for color, color variability with different shades of black, brown, tan, or even red, white and blue.
D – stands for diameter. Moles that are growing and exceed the size of a pencil eraser are cause for concern.
E – stands for evolving. We recommend you seek evaluation of any new, changing or symptomatic lesion or a lesion that suddenly becomes symptomatic with tenderness, itching, and bleeding, burning, cetera.
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