Skin Cancer Facts

Skin Cancer Facts

The cases of skin cancers are increasing every year and many deaths are being caused from this disease today. In most of the countries the incidences of skin cancers are the highest when compared to the occurrences of other cancers. The doctors state that people suffering from malignant skin cancer survive for five years. Worldwide, nearly 3 million people suffer from this disease every year.

Genes also affect the factor of skin cancer as the dark skinned people such as Africans do not develop the disease easily. People with fair skin develop it more easily. If a child continuously gets exposed to sun exposure and makes loitering a habit then he becomes more vulnerable to skin cancer. Skin cancers are mostly caused by the unhealthy habits of the people and due to their negligence of the skin. When a person develops skin cancer the infection rapidly spreads to the other areas of the skin and it persistently causes irritation to him. A person who is continuously exposed to ultraviolet radiations or radioactive substances is most likely to develop skin cancer. Even if they are facing minor skin problems they must the skin specialist. Many expert researchers have successfully researched the harmful effects of harmful radiations on the skin. Hence everybody should become aware about the root causes of skin cancer.

What is non-melanoma (basal or squamous cell) skin cancer? Most skin cancers are classified as non-melanoma, usually starting in either basal cells or squamous cells. These cells are located at the base of the outer layer of the skin or cover the internal and external surfaces of the body.

Most non-melanoma skin cancers develop on sun-exposed areas of the body, like the face, ear, neck, lips, and the backs of the hands. Depending on the type, they can be fast or slow growing, but they rarely spread to other parts of the body.

What is melanoma skin cancer? Melanoma is a cancer that begins in the melanocytes — the cells that produce the skin coloring or pigment known as melanin. Melanin helps protect the deeper layers of the skin from the harmful effects of the sun.

Melanoma is almost always curable when it is detected in its early stages. Although melanoma accounts for only a small percentage of skin cancer, it is far more dangerous than other skin cancers and causes most skin cancer deaths.

How many people are affected by skin cancer? Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. It accounts for nearly half of all cancers in the United States. More than 1 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are found in this country each year. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 68,720 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the United States during 2009.

Who survives skin cancer? For basal cell or squamous cell cancers, a cure is highly likely if detected and treated early. Melanoma, even though it can spread to other body parts quickly, is also highly curable if detected early and treated properly. The 5-year relative survival rate for patients with melanoma is 91%. For localized melanoma, the 5-year survival rate is 99%; survival rates for regional and distant stage diseases are 65% and 16% respectively. About 80% of melanomas are diagnosed at a localized stage.

How many people will die from skin cancer? The American Cancer Society estimates there will be about 11,590 deaths from skin cancer in 2009: 8,650 from melanoma and 2,940 from other skin cancers.

So what exactly causes skin cancer?

Cancerous cells are?most likely to form on parts of your body that have the most exposure to sun. The most vulnerable areas include your face, lips, scalp, chest, neck, arms, hands and women’ s legs. You might be surprised to learn that cell malignant cells can also develop in areas of your body that are rarely (or never) exposed directly to sunlight. These areas include between your toes, under your toenails or fingernails, the palms of your hands, and the genital area.

The risk of skin cancer is not limited simply to people with light complexions. But when dark skinned people do develop melanoma, they are more likely to experience it in parts of the body not usually considered to be sun-exposed.

There is also no standard time table for cancerous lesions?to develop. Depending on the type of cancer, a skin lesion can develop slowly over many years or appear very suddenly.

Warning signs of skin cancer are usually visual. For basal cell carcinoma, you may notice a waxy bump on your face, neck or ears, or a flat brown scar-like lesion on your back or chest. Squamous cell carcinoma usually appears as a firm red nodule, or a flat scaly lesion, on the face, neck, ear, hands or arms.

Melanoma, which is the most deadly form of skin cancer, can develop anywhere on the body – although it is found most frequently on the trunk, head or neck of men and the arms or legs of women. Melanoma can appear as a large brown spot with darker speckles, or a mole that suddenly changes color or size or bleeds. Melanoma can also appears as a small lesion with an irregular border and blue, red, black or white spots. Shiny, firm dome-shaped bumps can also be a warning sign of melanoma, as well as dark lesions on the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, or on the mucous linings of the nose, mouth, anus or vagina.