This Article (Understanding Cancers of the Skin) is from one of our Screened, Expert Authors.

Understanding Cancers of the Skin

Published By:

Not all cancers are the same. Some are deadly from diagnosis, but others are not. Skin cancer is preventable and treatable, but many people fail to take the steps to avoid it.

Imagine sitting in a doctor’s office and being told you have cancer. Although cancer treatment has come a long way, it would still be a devastating moment.

Can you imagine sitting there after being told you have cancer. All those problems in your life might seem a bit trivial. In fact, you might feel a bit idiotic considering you could have prevented skin cancer.

A diagnosis of cancer carries a certain lotto factor. Getting cancer is bad enough, but the type of cancer is critical to your ultimate outcome. Fortunately, skin cancer is both treatable and preventable.

The layers of your skin, with the epidermis being typical, are where you will find skin cancer. In nominal terms, the cancer is an atypical growth in the cells of the particular layer.

As you can probably guess, skin cancer is caused by sun exposure. The exposure can be for short periods that result in burns, but they can also be for exposure over long periods of time. Having a good tan has not been shown to make a difference.

Cancerous skin growth is actually a catch all phrase. This particular cancer breaks down into three different types with each having its own outcome.

When it comes to this type of cancer, there is serious and less serious diagnosis. Malignant melanoma is the worst. It is fatal if not treated early, but is the rarest form diagnosed.

Basal carcinoma is by far the most common form of skin cancer people are diagnosed with. Happily, it is treatable. Only a very small percentage of cases result in fatality.

Our final sub-category of skin cancer is Squamous cell. It falls somewhere between the previous two. It is diagnosed less than basal, but more than melanoma. It can even have a hereditary element. If treated early, it is curable. If not, it can be fatal.

There is a really sad thing about people with bad skin cancer. The ugly truth is they could have done something about it. You see, skin cancer is prevented pretty easily.

Laziness. It is the biggest factor in skin cancer episodes. Skin cancer is a result of exposure to the sun. If you take the steps to limit the damage of that exposure, you can cut your risk of skin cancer to next to nothing.

Am I suggesting you stay inside all the time? Of course, not. Just wear sun block to protect your fragile skin. If you are balding, throw a hat on. Nothing is worse than skin cancer on the noggin.