skin cancer picture

Skin cancer develops primarily on areas of sun-exposed skin, including the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms and hands, and on the legs in women. But it also can form on areas that rarely see the light of day - the palms, spaces between the toes and the genital area.

A cancerous skin lesion can appear suddenly or develop slowly. Its appearance depends on the type of cancer.

SKIN CANCER

The skin is the body's outermost covering and offers protection from heat and light, injury, and infection. It also helps regulate body temperature and stores water, fat, and vitamin D. The skin is made up of two main layers: the outer epidermis and the inner dermis.

There are 3 main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (which are referred to as nonmelanoma skin cancer) and melanoma. Melanoma is the rarest and most serious form of the disease. The epidermis is made up of squamous cells, basal cells, and melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells from which melanoma begins to develop.

Risk of skin cancer

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.

Anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease is called a risk factor. Some of these risk factors for skin cancer are as follows:

Race - Skin cancer is most common among fair-skinned individuals who sunburn or freckle easily.

Sex - Rates of skin cancer deaths in white males have increased in recent years, possibly as a result of the increase in outdoor recreation activities.

Age - Rates of melanoma rise rapidly in Caucasians older than 20 years.

Individual History - Persons with certain types of moles or those with a family history of dysplastic nevus syndrome are at a higher risk for developing melanoma. Patients who have had nonmelanoma skin cancer are at a higher risk for developing the disease again. Individuals who are exposed to the sun, x-rays, or ultraviolet light for long periods of time have a greater risk.

Screening for skin cancer

Routine examination of the skin increases the chance of finding skin cancer early. Most melanomas that appear in the skin can be seen by the naked eye. Usually, there is a lengthy period when the tumor expands beneath the top layer of skin but does not invade the deeper skin layers. This period allows for early detection and full recovery if the tumor is discovered before spreading deeper.