Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is very dangerous, it can be lethal but can also be prevented. One million new cases are discovered manually only in the United States. There are three types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma and most often appear in the parts of the body exposed to the sun.

Basal Cell Carcinoma frequently appears on people with light skin and blue or green eyes. However, dark skin people are also at risk. This type of cancer can be easily detected, seldom grows or spreads to other areas of the body. About 95% of people with this type of skin cancer can be cured if the disease is detected and treated on time. Sings of the cancer may be represented by an open sore that bleeds or oozes for more than three weeks, a reddish patch on chest, arms, shoulders, or legs that may hurt, a bump or a translucent nodule, a pink growth with a crusty center or a scarlike area with vague borders.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma appear especially on areas exposed to the sun, but also other parts of the body, including mucous membranes. When they spread distant tissues and organs, they become fatal. These carcinomas usually appear on areas of the skin with burns, scars or sores or areas exposed to x-rays or arsenic and petroleum by-products.  Look out for certain warning signals when it comes to squamous cell carcinomas, like a wartlike growth that has a crust or bleeds, a patch that bleeds or crusts or a sore that bleeds and crusts for weeks without signs of healing.

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. Detected in early stages, it can be cured but, as it advances, it becomes difficult to treat and possibly fatal. The disease originates in the place where the body's pigmentation is produced. Some melanomas do not invade surrounding tissues, while invasive melanomas spread to other areas of the skin and body. Generally, they are black, brown and sometimes pink, red or purple patches or nodules with an irregular outline. They may crust and bleed or form on existing moles.