Skin Cancer

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, Australia and South Africa for both men and women.
Skin cancer types

The two most common kinds of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. (Carcinoma is cancer that begins in the cells that cover or line an organ.) Basal cell carcinoma accounts for more than 90 percent of all skin cancers in the United States. It's a slow-growing cancer that seldom spreads to other parts of the body.
Squamous cell carcinoma also rarely spreads, but it does more often than basal cell carcinoma. It is important that skin cancers be found and treated early, because they can invade and destroy nearby tissue. Basal Cell Carcinoma occurs from sun exposure, many years after that exposure.

Another type of cancer that occurs in the skin is melanoma, which begins in the melanocytes.

The most common warning sign of skin cancer is a change on the skin, especially a new growth or a sore that doesn't heal. Skin cancers don't all look the same. For example, the cancer may start as a small, smooth, shiny, pale or waxy lump--or it can appear as a firm red lump. Sometimes, the lump bleeds or develops a crust. Skin cancer can also start as a flat, red spot that is rough, dry or scaly.

Both basal and squamous cell cancers are found mainly on areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun: the head, face, neck, hands and arms. However, skin cancer can occur anywhere. Don't wait for something on your skin to hurt. as skin cancer rarely causes pain.