Skin Cancer

What is skin cancer?

Skin is the largest and most crucial protective organ. Taking care of our skin is so important, especially when the exposures we face in our day to day lives can increase the risk of skin cancer. So, what is skin cancer? Skin cancer is the cancer that is made up of a growth of cells within the skin. Cancerous cells are invasive and destroy perfectly healthy cells in their wake of replication. There are various types of cancer such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Basal and squamous are the most common. Melanoma is the most dangerous as it spreads fast and is especially hard to cure.

Beyond the sun: causes and risk factors.

When we think of skin cancer we usually think of ultraviolet (UV) light exposure. UV light is extremely damaging to the skin as it contains radiation. This radiation then causes a change in the DNA cells, eventually leading to skin cancer. However, it can go deeper than that as there are other causes in addition to UV light. Despite UV light exposure being the main cause of skin cancer, there are other causes such as family history of skin cancer or a weak immune system. There are some risk factors of skin cancer such as history of sunburns, tanning beds, UV light from the sun, easily sunburning skin, smoking, and atypical moles.

Symptoms of skin cancer

Identifying the symptoms of skin cancer starts with noticing a change on your skin. This can look different for everyone but some common symptoms include but are not limited to, a new mole or a mole that has changed, areas on the skin that look like scars, rough lesions that can crust, or a sore that doesn’t heal. The ABCDE rule is a well known guide to help spot signs of skin cancer. A: Asymmetry, B: border, C: color, D: diameter, and E: evolution. Changes within these topics can help detect skin cancer when performing a self exam. Skin cancer is diagnosed through examination by a dermatologist, after this if the doctor is concerned they will perform a biopsy to confirm whether or not the patient has skin cancer. A biopsy is when a tissue sample is taken and sent to a lab for testing, sometimes this can even remove the cancer tissue completely .

Treatment of skin cancer

Treatment for the cancer varies depending on the stage. Treatment options include cryotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, photodynamic therapy, excisional surgery, and mohs surgery. To describe a few, cryotherapy is the freezing of skin cancer with liquid nitrogen. On the other hand, excisional surgery is a procedure that will attempt to remove the tumor and surrounding area to ensure that the cancer is completely gone. Lastly, chemo therapy, this process is when medications are administered to help kill the cancer cells. The survival rate for people with melanoma that is diagnosed and treated before the spread to the lymph nodes is 99%. This emphasizes how important it is to bring concerns with your skin to a doctor and get annual exams with a dermatologist.

Prevention of skin cancer.

There are many measures that can be taken to prevent skin cancer. A crucial step is to protect the skin from UV light. The skin can be protected through the use of sunscreen daily and limiting sun exposure during peak hours. Many people think that sunscreen should only be worn on beach days or when tanning in the sun, however, it should be worn everyday. Despite there not being any visible sun, even cloudy days are extremely important for wearing sunscreen as 80% of the sun’s radiation goes through the clouds. Tanning beds are another big issue as they give off UV light and significantly increase the risk of skin cancer. Above all, frequently evaluating your skin can go a long way. You know your skin the best and if you notice a new growth or a change in something as small as a mole it is key to seek medical advice

Written by Jordyn Poplawski Reviewed for accuracy by Mallory Kane, MD

References:

1. Cleveland Clinic. Skin Cancer Overview | Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic. Published

   November 19, 2021. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15818-skin-cancer

2. Mayo Clinic . Skin cancer - Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. Published December 6, 2022.

   https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/skin-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20377605

3. Basal and Squamous Cell Skin Cancer Early Detection. www.cancer.org.

   https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/basal-and-squamous-cell-skin-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/detection.html

4. Causes and Risk Factors For Skin Cancer. www.hopkinsmedicine.org. Published May 25,

   2022. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/causes-and-risk-factors-for-skin-cancer

5. US Department of Health and Human Services. Reducing the Risk of Skin Cancer. Office of

   the Surgeon General (US); 2014. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK247163/

6. National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention. https://skincancerprevention.org/