Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The face is a common site for squamous cell carcinoma. It often appears in sun exposed areas of the body, but can appear elsewhere. In this example, the raised lesion has crusty areas that are considered to be abnormal. If you have any spots, lumps, or bumps that are scaly, ulcerated, or simply do not heal or come back after healing, see a dermatologist

melanoma

One of the first things that raises red flags about this mole is the size. The rule of thumb is that anything larger than a pencil eraser (1/4 inch or 6mm) may be abnormal and needs to be evaluated by a dermatologist. This mole is also considered to be abnormal because it has varying shades of brown and lacks a uniform, symetrical border.

melanoma

This mole is considered abnormal because it is asymetrical, lacks a consistent border, and contains different shades of brown. Normal moles are uniform in color, have a consistent border, and are symetrical

melanoma.

This area is considered abnormal for many reasons. You can see that not only it is asymmetrical, but the color is not consistent — there are several, varying shades of color.

Blacks and Hispanics are less likely than whites to develop melanoma, but when they learn they have it, the skin cancer is often at an advanced stage, a new study of cases in Florida has found.

The study, in The Archives of Dermatology, used data from the Florida Cancer Data System, a statewide cancer registry, to analyze 41,072 cases of melanoma diagnosed from 1990 to 2004. The cases included 39,670 in non-Hispanic whites, 1,148 in Hispanics and 254 in blacks. Continue Reading »
Patterns: For Some, Delays in Skin Cancer Diagnosis

Surgical removal is the mainstay of therapy for both basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. For more information, see Surgery.

People who cannot undergo surgery may be treated by external radiation therapy. Radiation therapy is the use of a small beam of radiation targeted at the skin lesion. The radiation kills the abnormal cells and destroys the lesion. Radiation therapy can cause irritation or burning of the surrounding normal skin. It can also cause fatigue. These side effects are temporary. In addition, a topical cream has recently been approved for the treatment of certain low-risk nonmelanoma skin cancers. Continue Reading »
Medical Treatment

If you have a worrisome mole or other lesion, your primary-care provider will probably refer you to a dermatologist. The dermatologist will examine any moles in question and, in many cases, the entire skin surface.

* Any lesions that are difficult to identify, or are thought to be skin cancer, may then be checked.

* A sample of skin (biopsy) will be taken so that the suspicious area of skin can be examined under a microscope.

* A biopsy can almost always be done in the dermatologist’s office.

If a biopsy shows that you have malignant melanoma, you will probably undergo further testing to determine the extent of spread of the disease, if any. This may involve blood tests, a chest x-ray, and other tests as needed.

Many people, especially those who have fair coloring or have had extensive sun exposure, should periodically check their entire body for suggestive moles and lesions.

Have your primary health-care provider or a skin specialist (dermatologist) check any moles or spots that concern you.

See your health-care provider to check your skin if you notice any changes in the size, shape, color, or texture of pigmented areas (such as darker areas of skin or moles).

If you have skin cancer, your skin specialist (dermatologist) or cancer specialist (oncologist) will talk to you about symptoms of metastatic disease that might require care in a hospital.

Ultraviolet (UV) light exposure, most commonly from sunlight, is overwhelmingly the most frequent cause of skin cancer.

Other important causes of skin cancer include the following:

* Use of tanning booths

* Immunosuppression-impairment of the immune system, which protects the body from foreign entities, such as germs or substances that cause an allergic reaction. This may occur as a consequence of some diseases or can be due to medications prescribed to combat autoimmune diseases or prevent organ transplant rejection.

* Exposure to unusually high levels of x-rays

* Contact with certain chemicals-arsenic (miners, sheep shearers, and farmers), hydrocarbons in tar, oils, and soot (may cause squamous cell carcinoma)

The following people are at the greatest risk:

* People with fair skin, especially types that freckle, sunburn easily, or become painful in the sun

* People with light (blond or red) hair and blue or green eyes

* Those with certain genetic disorders that deplete skin pigment such as albinism, xeroderma pigmentosum Continue Reading »
Skin Cancer risks

Skin cancer is the most common of all human cancers. Some form of skin cancer is diagnosed in more than 1 million people in the United States each year.

Cancer occurs when normal cells undergo a transformation during which they grow and multiply without normal controls.

* As the cells multiply, they form a mass called a tumor. Tumors of the skin are often referred to as lesions. Continue Reading »
Skin Cancer Overview