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Cancer is a type of disease that scares anyone. Of course, the disease was once one of the biggest challenges in medicine and even today it continues to make millions of people around the world every year. Despite this, for many, skin cancer is a relatively mild disease that can be treated easily. However, what many people do not imagine is that this is one of the most common types of cancer in Brazil and that causes, on average, 1900 deaths per year in the country. So how to treat skin cancer ? How to avoid? What are the symptoms? We will answer these and many other questions in today’s text. Read through and check out everything you need to know about the disease.
What is Skin Cancer?
First of all, it is important to understand what cancer is and why it is such a dangerous disease. Cancer is nothing more than a type of disease characterized by the accelerated growth of cells , which can invade organs and tissues in our body in an uncontrolled manner, causing several consequences and even leading to death.
Skin cancer, therefore, is the abnormal growth of cells that make up our skin. As it is a very extensive and deep organ, there are several types of skin cancer, which can be more or less aggressive, depending on which region of the skin is affected. Although it is a disease that can be lethal, skin cancer can be diagnosed quickly, which is great for the treatment to be done correctly and also considerably increases the chances of a cure.
Symptoms of Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is a disease that can manifest itself in several ways. Still, the main symptoms that can manifest are:
- Wounds that do not heal quickly or that last more than a month
- Dots that change size, shape and even color
- Skin lesions that itch, peel, or even bleed
Each type of skin cancer develops differently in a person’s body. Therefore, the main recommendation of doctors is to look for a hospital as soon as you notice some of these symptoms. Remember, the sooner the disease is treated, the greater the chances of a cure and that you will not have serious sequelae.
Main Causes of Skin Cancer
Like any other type of cancer, skin cancer is nothing more than the accelerated growth of certain cells that can destroy tissues and organs. In this specific case, such acceleration can be accelerated by the exposure to the sun , since ultraviolet rays can cause these mutations in cells. Overused tanning beds also pose a potential hazard. For this reason, it is very common for skin cancer to appear in the areas of the body most exposed to the sun, such as arms, face, ears.
What many people don’t realize is that skin cancer can have other causes that go beyond exposing the skin to ultraviolet rays. The use of certain types of drugs, exposure to radiation, smoking and even chronic skin wounds can cause the disease.
Groups of risk
First of all, it is important to know that skin cancer can manifest itself in anyone. However, there are some groups that need to be extra careful, since they are more susceptible to developing this type of disease. These groups are:
- Albino people
- People over 40
- People with a high number of spots on their bodies
- People with a family history of cancer, mainly skin
- People with vitiligo
- People undergoing immunosuppressive treatment
- People who have previously had skin cancer
This type of cancer is considered rare in people with darker skin and in children. However, if the person fits into any of these risk groups, it is important that the precautions to be taken are doubled.
Types of Skin Cancer
Skin cancer can manifest itself in three different types. Let’s talk more deeply about each one of them and show what are their characteristics, forms of treatment and severity. These types are:
- Carcinoma Espinocelular
- Basocelular Carcinoma
- Melanoma
Carcinoma Espinocelular
This is the second most common type of skin cancer, occurring mainly in areas that are more exposed to the sun, such as the face, hands, ears and neck. Squamous cell carcinoma often presents itself as a type of wart, which has a reddish color , and may bleed and flake as well. It is much more common in men than in women.
Basocelular Carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer and, fortunately, it has low lethality. It also tends to appear more commonly in regions more exposed to the sun, such as a mole that has a central crust, usually reddish in color and that may bleed occasionally.
Melanoma
Melanoma is a less common type of cancer, however, it is the most dangerous and lethal within them all. Usually the spots caused by melanoma change color and size and, for this reason, being aware of this type of change is essential to detect the disease early. It also usually appears in areas of the body most exposed to the sun, although there may be exceptions.
Skin Cancer Prevention
Some of the main recommendations for preventing skin cancer are:
- Avoid exposing yourself to the sun at times when radiation is most intense (between 10 am and 4 pm)
- Wear hats, umbrellas, caps and other types of protection from the sun
- Use sunscreen whenever exposed to the sun, with the highest possible protection factor
- Use lip balm
Although skin cancer is a disease that can cause concern in many people, it is a disease that can be cured. The recommendation is that you visit a dermatologist at least once a year to check if everything is fine with your skin. As we said before, the earlier this type of disease is discovered, the greater the chances of a cure and the lower the chances of serious sequelae.
Skin Cancer Treatments
Treatment for this disease can vary according to several factors, such as the type of skin cancer and the stage of the disease. In smaller malignant tumors, scraping or curettage may be enough to remove cancer cells. In larger tumors, the doctor should analyze and, if necessary, indicate surgery to remove the tumor , which can also vary according to the type and size.
In addition to surgeries, a doctor can also recommend other treatments, such as photodynamic therapy, radiation therapy or even chemotherapy. The way in which treatment will be done will always depend on the diagnosis given by your doctor and a series of other factors that will be analyzed by him.
A lot of people are terribly afraid of just hearing the word cancer. Yes, it is a serious disease and it can cause really serious complications. However, advances in medicine have made skin cancer and other treatments much more advanced today. This does not mean that you should be negligent or not take the disease seriously, but it does mean that you can remain calm and have more hopes that the treatment will be successful. Understanding more about the disease, how it acts on our body and the ways we can treat it is essential for you to keep your head calmer. And we hope that today’s text has helped you in that regard.
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
