14 DAY TRIAL // The skin is the largest organ of the body. It protects against heat, light, injuries and infections and controls the body's temperature. The skin stores water and fat and also makes vitamin D. It is made out of 2 layers: the epidermis, the top lawyer, composed of fat cells, and the dermis, situated under the epidermis, made out of blood vessels, lymph vessels and glands.
Skin cells normally grow and divide, forming new cells. Skin cells die every day, their place being taken by new ones. But, sometimes, the process is disrupted. New cells are formed when or where they are not needed, forming an extra tissue called a tumor. Benign tumors rarely threat one's life, can be removed and do not grow back. The cells from these benign tumors do not invade those around them and do not spread to other parts of the body. More serious than benign tumors are the malign ones. They can put one's life in danger, but only 1% of cases are fatal. These types of tumors can be removed, but they often grow back, invading and damaging other tissues and organs. They can spread to other parts of the body, a process called metastasis.
Skin cancer can be classified into 2 categories: basic and squamos. Basic cell skin cancer progresses slowly, occurring in areas of the skin that have been exposed to the sun. It is common on the face and rarely spreads to other parts of the body. Squamos cell skin cancer occurs in the area not exposed to the sun and can spread to lymph nodes and organs in the body.
Doctors cannot explain why certain people are more predisposed to skin cancer, but they now that this illness is not contagious. Still, they have identified some factors which may increase an individual's risk of developing the disease.
Lifetime exposure to ultraviolet radiation increases the risk of skin cancer. This type of radiation comes from the sun, tanning beds or tanning booths. Even though the majority of skin cancer surfaces after the age of 50, the sun damages the skin from an early age. People with freckles or skin that burns easily are more exposed to ultraviolet radiation. These people also have red or blond hair and blue or green eyes. People who live in sunny areas or in the mountains have a greater risk of skin cancer.
Also, if there have been people in your family who have suffered or suffer from skin cancer, you are probably at a higher risk. Scars or burns on the skin, infection with human papilloma viruses, exposure to arsenic, diseases which make the skin sensitive to sun and radiation therapy also increase the risk.
The best way to protect from skin cancer is to protect yourself from the sun. Specialists at the American Academy of Dermatology and the Skin Cancer Foundation have come up with some advice which can reduce the risk of the disease. A person must not expose himself or herself to the sun between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Sunscreen with SPH (sun protection factor) 15 or more must be used when exposed to the sun. Sunscreen must be reapplied every 2 hours, even on cloudy days, after swimming and when perspiring. Also, people are advised to stay away from sun lamps and tanning machines.
Most skin cancer can be cured if found early and treated properly. A change in the skin is the most common symptom of the disease. Injuries or lumps of different colors are also a sign of skin cancer. The disease is relatively painless, but sometimes can cause pain. The changes on the skin must be identified by doctors, establishing if they are due to cancer, and remove those parts which do not look normal. A biopsy is performed, when a pathologist checks the skin sample under the microscope.
Frequently, all of the cancer is removed during a biopsy and no more treatment is needed. Treatment for skin cancer depends on the type and stage of the disease, the size of the tumor, its location and one's health. The doctor might refer the patient to specialists in treating this disease like dermatologists, surgeons and oncologists.
Surgery is the most common treatment recommended by doctors. Secondary methods of treatment include chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy and radiation therapy. Depending on the type of the treatment, side effects may occur, differing from person to person.
Clinical trials are currently developed to answer important questions and to find out new, safe and effective approaches. One of the results is photodynamic therapy, which uses a special light source to kill cancer cells, and scientists are constantly looking for better ways to prevent or to treat skin cancer.