Skin cancer - where does it come from?

Skincancers arise primarily from exposure to long periods of sunlight, radiation from tanning devices, but also as a consequence of diseases that impair the immune system, such as AIDS.

Skin cancers - the most common

Among the most common skin cancers are several types of malignant lesions:

basal cell carcinoma,
squamous cell carcinoma
neuroendocrine carcinoma,
paget's skin cancer.

Skin cancers - basal cell carcinoma of the skin

This type occurs in nearly 70% of patients diagnosed with skin cancer. It results from prolonged exposure of the skin to the sun, although it is also common in people diagnosed with arsenic poisoning. Symptoms that should be of concern are mainly pearly lesions and dilated blood vessels.

Skin tumours - Kaposi's sarcoma

Sarcomas involve soft tissues and the neoplastic lesion is made up of spindle cells and capillaries. Sarcoma gives multifocal skin lesions that look like dark brown, purple and dark blue papules or macules. The sarcomas on the skin may ulcerate.

Skin cancers - squamous cell carcinoma

This type of cancer is less common than basal cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma is characterised by a rapid growth rate, with cells multiplying at a rapid rate. Importantly, this nature of cancerous lesion tends to form infiltrates, i.e. cells growing into the deep layers of the skin.

Skin cancers, photo: panthermedia

Skin tumours - Merkel cell carcinoma

Merkel cell carcinoma, known as neuroendocrine carcinoma, tends to give metastases. The cause of this type of skin cancer is UVA and UVB radiation. The most common site for lesions is the head and neck.

Skin tumours - Paget's carcinoma

Paget's carcinoma is considered to be a rare tumour. The tumour usually arises from the apocrine glands. The tumour cells initially multiply in the epidermis, passing to the hair follicles. The characteristic symptom of this cancer is the appearance of erythema. It most often appears on the vulva, anus, penis or scrotal sac.

Skin cancers - malignant melanoma

Malignant melanoma is a type of cancer originating from pigment cells - melanocytes. Malignant melanoma accounts for nearly 2% of cancer cases. In addition to the skin, it can also develop in the mucous membranes, the gastrointestinal tract and the eyeball. Melanoma is caused by various external factors and any "suspicious" looking change on the skin - thickening, reddening and change in the shape of the "mole", bleeding or the appearance of "ragged" edges of the mole - should be a signal for us to contact a dermatologist and/or oncologist immediately.

Skin tumours - causes of occurrence

Among the most commonly cited factors that contribute to causing cancer are:

chemical agents,
uV radiation,
chronic ulcers,
burn scars.

Skin cancer is rarely diagnosed in patients of the black or yellow race. Individuals at high risk of developing cancer are albinos. Research indicates that people with blonde hair, red hair, light complexion with freckles are also more susceptible to skin cancer.

Skin cancer - treatment methods

Treatment of skin cancer is most often based on surgery. The choice of treatment method depends on the size of the lesion and the degree of malignancy - if the cancer metastasises to the lymph nodes, they may need to be excised.

Skin cancer - prevention

The most common malignant skin cancer is melanoma. Dermatologists and oncologists point out that one of the reasons for the late diagnosis of skin cancers is that the patient comes to the doctor too late. Early detection of any cancer allows the optimal treatment path to be introduced. Cancerous lesions in the early stages can be treated effectively.

way4cure.com

Skin cancers - types, symptoms and treatment

Related

Topics

See also in

WE RECOMMEND CATEGORY CONTENT Neoplasms - other