What Are The Four Main Types Of Melanoma Of The Skin
Superficial spreading melanoma
What you should know: This is the most common form of melanoma.
How and where it grows: It can arise in an existing mole or appear as a new lesion. When it begins in a mole that is already on the skin, it tends to grow on the surface of the skin for some time before penetrating more deeply. While it can be found nearly anywhere on the body, it is most likely to appear on the torso in men, the legs in women and the upper back in both.
What it looks like:; It may appear as a flat or slightly raised and discolored, asymmetrical patch with uneven borders. Colors include shades of tan, brown, black, red/pink, blue or white. It can also lack pigment and appear as a pink or skin-tone lesion .
Lentigo maligna
What you should know: This form of melanoma often develops in older people. When this cancer becomes invasive or spreads beyond the original site, the disease is known as lentigo maligna melanoma.
How and where it grows: This form of melanoma is similar to the superficial spreading type, growing close to the skin surface at first. The tumor typically arises on sun-damaged skin on the face, ears, arms or upper torso.
What it looks like:; It may look like a flat or slightly raised, blotchy patch with uneven borders. Color is usually blue-black, but can vary from tan to brown or dark brown.
Acral lentiginous melanoma
What you should know: This is the most common form of melanoma found in people of color, including individuals of African ancestry.
What Is Malignant Melanoma
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that occurs in the cells that color the skin . It is more serious than the common basal cell or squamous cell skin cancers because it can spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood. It is the leading cause of all skin cancer-related deaths.
When To Seek Medical Care For Skin Cancer
Many people, especially those who have fair coloring or have had extensive sun exposure, periodically check their entire body for suspicious moles and lesions.
Have your primary health care provider or a 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 .
If you have skin cancer, your skin specialist or cancer specialist will talk to you about symptoms of metastatic disease that might require care in a hospital.
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What Is Squamous Cell Cancer
Squamous cell cancer , also known as squamous cell carcinoma, is a type of skin cancer that typically begins in the squamous cells.
Squamous cells are the thin, flat cells that make up the epidermis, or the outermost layer of the skin.
SCC is caused by changes in the DNA of these cells, which cause them to multiply uncontrollably.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, cutaneous SCC is the second most common form of skin cancer. Approximately 700,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with this type of skin cancer each year.
People with SCC often develop scaly, red patches, open sores, or warts on their skin. These abnormal growths can develop anywhere, but theyre most often found in areas that receive the most exposure to ultraviolet radiation, either from sunlight or from tanning beds or lamps.
The condition usually isnt life threatening, but it can become dangerous if it goes untreated. When treatment isnt received promptly, the growths can increase in size and spread to other parts of your body, causing serious complications.
Examinations To Detect Skin Cancer
The most effective ways to determine potential skin cancer growth are regular examinations. Receive annual skin cancer screenings from your dermatologist, and complete regular self examinations in between your visits.
Because skin cancer often manifests as a mole on the body, self-examinations are important for differentiating between common moles and cancerous moles on your skin.;
To complete a self-exam, assess every mole on your body, following the ABCDE guidelines:
- A: Asymmetry Abnormal moles are not symmetrical. One side of the mole will not resemble the other side.;
- B: Border The border of an abnormal mole often blends or bleeds into the rest of the skin, as opposed to common moles that usually have a circular, strong border.
- C: Color Look out for moles that have more than one color in them. Malignant moles often have darker areas of brown, black, or tan. Moles that are red, blue or green should also be assessed by your dermatologist immediately.;
- D: Diameter Abnormal moles often have a diameter larger than 6mm.
- E: Evolving Any evolution in your mole whatsoever, whether its the color, size or border, can indicate malignancy.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Skin Cancer
Most skin cancers originate on the surface of the skin, so compared to other cancers, skin cancer is fairly easy to detect.;
Skin cancer can develop anywhere on the skin, including the top of the head, the bottoms of the feet, and under the fingernails. Anywhere the sun can reach, skin cancer can develop.;
The common signs and symptoms of skin cancer include,
- Moles that change colors, shape, texture, size, or elevation
- Elevated growths or tumors on the body
- Scaly patches of skin on the body;
- Sores that dont heal or perpetually reappear
- Brown or black spots under the fingernails;
- Patches of discolored, itchy skin on the body
Skin cancer can manifest in a number of ways. The most important signs to look out for when completing self examinations are spots that dont look similar to other spots on your skin, spots that change in any way , spots that itch, and spots that bleed.;
What Is Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Skin
Squamous cells are found throughout the human body. These cells line organs, such as the lungs, throat, and thyroid. We also have squamous cells in our skin.
The job of squamous cells is to protect what lies beneath. In our skin, these cells sit near the surface, protecting the tissue beneath.
Anywhere we have squamous cells, we can develop a type of cancer called squamous cell carcinoma .
In the skin, this cancer is usually not life-threatening. It tends to grow slowly, but it can grow deep. When the cancer grows deep, it can injure nerves, blood vessels, and anything else in its path. As the cancer cells pile up, a large tumor can form.
Most people who develop this skin cancer have fair skin that they seldom protected with sunscreen or sun-protective clothing. Before developing this skin cancer, they tend to notice signs of sun damage on their skin, such as age spots, patches of discolored skin, and deep wrinkles.
Anyone can develop squamous cell carcinoma
While anyone can develop this skin cancer, you have a greater risk if you live with a transplanted organ, use tanning beds, or have fair skin that you seldom protected from the sun.
Another sign of sun-damaged skin is having one or more pre-cancerous growths on your skin called actinic keratoses . Some AKs progress, turning into squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
To find out what this skin cancer can look like and see pictures of it, go to: Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin: Signs and symptoms.
ImageGetty Images
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What Happens In A Melanoma Exam
Often, melanoma is discovered during a routine checkup or when a patient brings a suspicious mole to a doctor’s attention. Your doctor may want to perform a biopsy on a suspicious mole. A biopsy removes some or all of a mole or other growth for diagnosis by microscopic examination. For a suspicious mole, the doctor usually performs an excisional biopsy, which removes an elliptical wedge of skin that fully surrounds the mole and extends completely through the skin to enable the depth of the suspected melanoma to be accurately measured. The biopsy wound is closed with stitches and the sample is sent to the laboratory for analysis.
Four Main Types Of Skin Melanoma
There are four main types of skin melanoma.
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Squamous Cell Carcinoma Pictures
Squamous cell carcinoma;also appears in areas most exposed to the sun and, as indicated in the pictures below, often presents itself as a scab or sore that doesnt heal, a volcano-like growth with a rim and crater in the middle or simply as a crusty patch of skin that is a bit inflamed and red and doesnt go away over time.
Any lesion that bleeds or itches and doesnt heal within a few weeks may be a concern even if it doesnt look like these Squamous cell carcinoma images.
What Does Skin Cancer Look Like
Basal cell carcinoma
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BCC frequently develops in people who have fair skin. People who have skin of color also get this skin cancer.
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BCCs often look like a flesh-colored round growth, pearl-like bump, or a pinkish patch of skin.
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BCCs usually develop after years of frequent sun exposure or indoor tanning.
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BCCs are common on the head, neck, and arms; however, they can form anywhere on the body, including the chest, abdomen, and legs.
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Early diagnosis and treatment for BCC are important. BCC can grow deep. Allowed to grow, it can penetrate the nerves and bones, causing damage and disfigurement.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
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People who have light skin are most likely to develop SCC. This skin cancer also develops in people who have darker skin.
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SCC often looks like a red firm bump, scaly patch, or a sore that heals and then re-opens.
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SCC tends to form on skin that gets frequent sun exposure, such as the rim of the ear, face, neck, arms, chest, and back.
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SCC can grow deep into the skin, causing damage and disfigurement.
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Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent SCC from growing deep and spreading to other areas of the body.
SCC can develop from a precancerous skin growth
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People who get AKs usually have fair skin.
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AKs usually form on the skin that gets lots of sun exposure, such as the head, neck, hands, and forearms.
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Because an AK can turn into a type of skin cancer, treatment is important.
Melanoma
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What Are The Symptoms Of Skin Cancer
Symptoms of skin cancer can be easily confused and are often overlooked if you have a history of noncancerous moles, freckles, or growths.
However, any change on your skin could be a potential cancer. Knowing the additional symptoms of skin cancer will help you know whether youre in the clear or need to book an appointment with your doctor.
How Does Skin Cancer Spread
Whether and how skin cancers spread depends on the type of skin cancer. Basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell cancers rarely spread. Melanomas are the most likely type of skin cancer to spread and metastasise. Melanoma can spread to any part of the body, but the most common areas it spreads to are the lungs, liver, bones, brain, abdomen and lymph nodes.
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Skin Color And Being Exposed To Sunlight Can Increase The Risk Of Basal Cell Carcinoma And Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Skin
Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesnt mean that you will not get cancer. Talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk.
Risk factors for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin include the following:
- Being exposed to natural sunlight or artificial sunlight over long periods of time.
- Having a fair complexion, which includes the following:
- Fair skin that freckles and burns easily, does not tan, or tans poorly.
- Blue, green, or other light-colored eyes.
- Red or blond hair.
Although having a fair complexion is a risk factor for skin cancer, people of all skin colors can get skin cancer.
Older age is the main risk factor for most cancers. The chance of getting cancer increases as you get older.
Screening For Skin Cancer
Again, the best way to screen for skin cancer is knowing your own skin. If you are familiar with the freckles, moles, and other blemishes on your body, you are more likely to notice quickly if something seems unusual.
To help spot potentially dangerous abnormalities, doctors recommend doing regular self-exams of your skin at home. Ideally, these self-exams should happen once a month, and should involve an examination of all parts of your body. Use a hand-held mirror and ask friends or family for help so as to check your back, scalp, and other hard-to-see areas of skin. If you or someone else notices a change on your skin, set up a doctors appointment to get a professional opinion.
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Types Of Skin Cancer: Symptoms & Treatment
infoslink – September 13, 2021 at 8:52 AM
Skin cancer is common. Many are now suffering from skin cancer. With some carelessness or neglect, skin cancer can reach a complex stage. You know, in the early stages of cancer, treatment is possible. However, once complicated, treatment is not only expensive but also impossible.
Only people at risk for cancer may not have skin cancer. Anyone, including people with dark skin, hair, and eyes, can get skin cancer. In addition, if a person spends a lot of time in the sun, has skin cancer in the family, has excessive chambers in the body and skin, sensitive skin, sunburn or skin peeling while sitting in the sun, even if the skin, eyes, and hair are light in color, such person is more likely to get skin cancer
What are the risks?
To avoid the sun from ten oclock in the morning to four oclock in the evening.
Wear clothes to protect the body from the harmful radiation of the sun.
Always use sunscreen with 15 or more SPS when you go out of the house. And, reuse according to the instructions on the bottle.
To keep informed about the symptoms of skin cancer.
Skin check every month. Contact a doctor immediately if you notice any changes in the skin.
How many types are there?
There are three types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
In basal cell carcinoma
In squamous cell carcinoma
Melanoma
What is the treatment method?
What Are The Other Types Of Skin Cancers
Skin has two distinct layers: the epidermis, which is on the outside, and the dermis, which is underneath the epidermis. These two layers are made up of millions upon millions of cells, four of which are directly related to skincancer.
Squamous cells reside on the skins surfacethe top of the epidermis and are constantly shed as new ones form. Basal cells reside in the lower part of the epidermis, called the basal cell layer. Basal cells divide and move up through the epidermis to replace the lost squamous cells and become squamous cells themselves in the process. Merkel cells are found at the base of the epidermis and they help us sense touch. Melanocytes, also found at the base of the epidermis, are cells that produce melanin, the pigment responsible for coloring our skin.
Skin cancer is an abnormal growth of skin cells. When any of these types of cells become damaged, they may develop into skin cancer.; It most often develops on areas of the skin exposed to ultraviolet light. Skin cancer affects people of all colors and races, although those with lighter skin who sunburn easily are at higher risk for developing skin cancer.
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What Is The Outlook For People With Squamous Cell Cancer
Early detection of SCC is key to successful treatment. If SCC isnt treated in its early stages, the cancer may spread to other areas of the body, including the lymph nodes and organs. Once this occurs, the condition can be life threatening.
Those with weakened immune systems due to certain medical conditions, such as HIV, AIDS, or leukemia, have a greater risk of developing more serious forms of SCC.