Diagnosing Skin Cancer
There are some different types of cancer, all of which are very threatening and must be detected early in order to have the best possible prognosis.
Skin cancer, which is an progressively common form, is often associated with over exposure to sun or other ultraviolet radiation, including tanning beds. Because individuals with fair skin are more susceptible to a sunburn, they are also more susceptible to skin cancer. In order to protect themselves from the sun is strength, individuals should wear sunscreen with a high SPF, hats and long sleeve shirts.
In addition, taking extraordinary care to not fall asleep in the sun or spend hours every day in its existence may help to lessen it is damaging effects and possibly may even prevent skin cancer.
To diagnose Skin Cancer , your doctor may:
Examine your skin. Your doctor may check out your skin to work out whether your skin changes are likely to be Cancer . Further testing could also be needed to verify that diagnosis.
Remove a sample of suspicious skin for testing (skin biopsy). Your doctor may remove the suspicious-looking skin for lab testing. A biopsy can determine whether you’ve got Cancer and, if so, what sort of Skin Cancer you’ve got .
Symptoms of skin cancer are several, but the most usual is a lesion that will not heal.This may also include discolouration and overall changes in the appearance of moles. The majority of skin cancer patients can be treated with a surgical procedure that involves removing the affected layers of the skin.
If skin cancer is left untreated, conversely, it may begin to contain the hidden layers of the skin and perhaps even the lymphatic system. In addition, it may spread to other parts of the body and become resistant to treatment if not detected early.
Of all the numerous forms of cancer, Skin cancer has one of the maximum survival rates because, unlike the others, skin cancer is frequently noticeable and leads to earlier detection.
If a skin lesion does not heal within 7 to 10 days, or if a mole begins to change in shape, color or otherwise vary in appearance, a physician should be consulted in order to determine whether or not the lesion is cancerous. During testing, a piece of the skin will be removed by the physician and sent to a medical laboratory for further testing. If the test results are positive for the presence of cancer, the physician will invite the patient to return to his/her office for a conversation regarding possible treatment options.
The information in this article is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be considered as, or used in place of, medical advice or professional recommendations for the cause, diagnosis or treatment of skin cancer. If necessary, individuals should consult a medical doctor or dermatologist for information regarding the likelihood of skin cancer, a proper diagnosis and recommended form of treatment.
Determining the extent of the Skin Cancer
If your doctor determines you’ve got Skin Cancer , you’ll have additional tests to work out the extent (stage) of the Cancer .
Because superficial skin cancers like basal cell carcinoma rarely spread, a biopsy that removes the whole growth often is that the only test needed to work out the cancer stage.
But if you’ve got a large squamous cell carcinoma, Merkel cell carcinoma or melanoma, your doctor may recommend further tests to work out the extent of the cancer.
Additional tests might include imaging tests to look at the nearby lymph gland s for signs of cancer or a procedure to get rid of a close-by lymph gland and test it for signs of cancer (sentinel lymph node biopsy).
Doctors use the Roman numerals I through IV to point a cancer’s stage.
Stage I cancers are small and limited to the world where they began.
Stage IV signifies progressive cancer that has spread to other areas of the body.
The skin cancer’s stage helps determine which treatment options are going to be best .
Treatment
Your treatment possibilities for skin cancer and the precancerous skin lesions known as actinic keratoses will vary, differing on the size, type, depth and location of the lesions. Minor skin cancers fractional to the surface of the skin may not compel treatment beyond an initial skin biopsy that removes the entire growth.
Skin cancers are almost always removed. In more advanced skin cancers, some of the surrounding tissue may also be removed to make sure that all of the cancerous cells have been taken out.
The most usual treatment for skin cancer is surgery to eliminate the cancer (usually under a local anaesthetic). Common skin cancers can be treated with ointments or radiation therapy (radiotherapy). Skin cancer can also be detached with cryotherapy (using liquid nitrogen to rapidly freeze the cancer off), curettage (scraping) or cautery (burning).
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Preventing skin cancer
Protect your skin
For best protection, when the UV level is 3 or above, we recommend a combination of sun protection measures:
- Slip on some sun-protective clothing – that covers as much skin as possible.
- Slop on broad spectrum, water resistant SPF30 sunscreen. Put it on 20 minutes before you go outside and every two hours subsequently. Sunscreen should never be used to extend the time you spend in the sun.
- Slap on a hat – that defends your face, head, neck and ears.
- Seek shade.
- Slide on some sunglasses – make sure they meet Australian standards.
Be extra cautious in the middle of the day when UV levels are most strong.
