{"id":7683,"date":"2020-05-26T22:59:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-26T19:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drfreedatannous.com\/?p=7683"},"modified":"2020-05-27T00:12:01","modified_gmt":"2020-05-26T21:12:01","slug":"skin-cancer-what-you-should-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drfaridatannous.com\/en\/skin-cancer-what-you-should-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Skin Cancer: what you should know."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The month of May is skin cancer awareness month and I\u2019d like to take this opportunity to address this rapidly rising issue that our world is facing. Although skin cancer is increasing in incidence rate worldwide, the good news is that it is considered to be the most preventable forms of cancer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The skin is made of various cells, many of which are in constant division. Round basal cells in the first layer of the skin, also known as the epidermis, flatten as they rise to replace dead, flaking squamous cells on the surface. Melanocytes are pigment producing cells and Merkel cells give skin its ability to sense touch. It is also important to consider the skins\u2019 other cell types like immune cells, all of which can become abnormal in skin cancer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): is the most common type and arises from the basal cell layer on sun exposed areas like head and neck. It is a slowly growing tumor and rarely metastasizes or spreads.<\/li>
  2. Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC): 2nd<\/sup> most common type and arises from keratinocytes in sun exposed areas such as the neck, ears, lips, face or the back of the hand, but they may develop in other areas, such as in scars, skin ulcers or the genital region. They are more likely than basal cell carcinomas to invade fatty tissue beneath the skin and metastasize.<\/li>
  3. Melanoma: the deadliest and most serious form of skin cancer that arises from melanocytes in both sun exposed and non-sun exposed areas of the skin. It is the most aggressive type that rapidly grows and has the potential to spread to other areas of the body and metastasize.<\/li>
  4. Other types: eg. Merkel cell carcinoma, Kaposi sarcoma or lymphoma of the skin<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Risk factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The most important predisposing factor is exposure of unprotected skin to ultraviolet rays (UV). A period of as little as 15 minutes can cause harm to the skin and long-term complications. Even if it\u2019s cool and cloudy, you still need sun protection. A common misconception is that the the temperature does the damage, however studies have shown that the UV rays are responsible for this effect. About 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers and 85 percent of melanoma cases are associated with exposure to this risk factor. I also strongly advise against tanning beds or lamps that transmit high amounts of UV rays directly onto the skin and hence cause lasting harmful effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Other risk factors include: living in sunny and high altitude areas or those that are closer to the equator, lighter skin types like in Caucasians, history of sun burn especially if those were blistering burns, family history of skin cancer, the presence of multiple moles on the skin and suppression of the immune system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Signs to watch out for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A change in your skin is the most common sign of skin cancer. This could be a new growth, a sore that doesn\u2019t heal, or a change in a pre-existing mole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For melanoma specifically, a simple way to remember the warning signs is to remember the A-B-C-D-Es of melanoma:<\/p>\n\n\n\n