Skin Cancer is a Serious Health Hazard but can be Treated with Early Detection

The risk of skin cancer is high in cases of over-exposure to sunlight which also carries ultraviolet radiation along with healthy energy. 

The condition is characterized by abnormal growth of the skin cells that eventually grows into a tumour in the skin. 

It is not always that tumours on the skin are dangerous but one must never neglect growth of such tumours especially if they show unusual characteristics. 

For an ordinary person it is not possible to determine whether s/he has cancer in the skin merely by looking at such a tumour or skin growth. 

Even for a skin doctor it is also not always possible to determine that unless s/he has monitored or a biopsy performed. 

Therefore, skin disorders should never be disregarded or overlooked especially in a country like Australia with such abundance of sunshine. 

The different types of skin cancer 

There are three main types of cancer of the skin and these are: 

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) – More than two-thirds of cancers of the skin are diagnosed as BCC, which occur on the lower section of cells of the epidermis. This is the least dangerous type as it grows very slowly and hardly spreads to other organs of the body. 

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) – This type of cancer accounts for close to one-third of all cases of cancer of the skin. It originates in the flat cells on the top layer of the epidermis and has the potential of growing at a steady pace over several weeks or months. 

Melanoma skin cancer: This is the most dangerous type of skin cancer and it accounts for around 70% of the fatalities resulting from this condition. The saving grace is that it accounts for only about 2% of all cases of this condition.

Early detection is critical for beating cancer of the skin 

As in all other cancers, early detection is a critical requirement for effective recovery leading to normal life in most cases. 

That would depend on how early the patient consults his/her doctor in case of abnormal changes on a skin growth.  

Here’s a list of clues that one needs to be wary about: 

• Sunspots as well as uneven moles on the body 
• If the skin is too light and freckle and gets burnt instead of getting tanned in the sun 
• If the hair and eyes of the patient are very light in colour 
• A patient of leukaemia who is likely to have a weak immune system 
• Have had cancer of the skin before or have a family history of the condition 
• The patient is a regular user of tanning beds 

It should not be assumed that people with more pigment protection on their skin cannot have this cancer. If you happen to notice any unusual growth on your skin, do an online search asking, “Where can I find a clinic to get a full body scan for skin cancer near me?” Once you visit such a clinic, you will be examined by a skin doctor before getting screened for skin cancer.