How To Know If I Have Skin Cancer

How Do I Know If I Just Have Age Spots

Age spots are often called liver spots or sunspots. They usually occur in people over 50 and in areas that are exposed to the sun.

Age spots can definitely look like cancerous growths but even if they are not diagnosed as cancer, they are clear signs that you have spent a lot of time in the sun. The age spots are the skins attempt to protect it from even further sun damage.

Age spots do not require medical care but it is still important to be looked at by a physician. They also will not fade over time but can be removed for cosmetic reasons if you should decide. It may be a sign of melanoma if spots are black, irregular, or have changed. Please contact your doctor for an evaluation if you have noticed any concerning changes.

Symptoms Of Skin Cancer

Skin cancers arent all identical, and they may not cause many symptoms. Still, unusual changes to your skin can be a warning sign for the different types of cancer. Being alert for changes to your skin may help you get a diagnosis earlier.

Watch out for symptoms, including:

• skin lesions: A new mole, unusual growth, bump, sore, scaly patch, or dark spot develops and doesnt go away.
• asymmetry: The two halves of the lesion or mole arent even or identical.
• border: The lesions have ragged, uneven edges.
• color: The spot has an unusual color, such as white, pink, black, blue, or red.
• diameter: The spot is larger than one-quarter inch, or about the size of a pencil eraser.
• evolving: You can detect that the mole is changing size, color, or shape.

How Can I Detect Skin Cancer

The first answer is to simply look at your skin. Because you see your skin every day, you are detector number one. By knowing what is normal for your skin, and then thoroughly inspecting it on a regular usually monthly basis, many skin cancers can be self- detected.

When examining your skin, take note of all existing spots, moles and freckles on your skin, so that youll know when changes occur or a new one appears. You can track these easily with this body mole map from the American Academy of Dermatology. Stand in front of mirror and examine your front and back, head to toe. Bend your elbows and look carefully at your forearms, palms and the back of your upper arms. Use a hand mirror to check the back of your neck, scalp, buttocks and other hard-to-see places. Dont forget the bottoms of your feet and between your toes.

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Who Is At Risk For Skin Cancer

Although anyone can get skin cancer, the risk is greatest in people who have fair or freckled skin that burns easily, light eyes and blond or red hair. Darker-skinned individuals are also susceptible to all types of skin cancer, although their risk is lower.

In addition to complexion, other risk factors include having a family history or personal history of skin cancer, having an outdoor job, and living in a sunny climate. A history of severe sunburns and an abundance of large and irregularly shaped moles are risk factors unique to melanoma.

Tip #: Consider A Topical For Scarring

If you have scarring from a skin cancer related surgical procedure, there are topicals that may help. Vitamins C and E have both been shown to help the skin heal from scarring more quickly, along with chemical exfoliators like Vitamin A and glycolic acid. Always ask your dermatologist before attempting to use any of these products. Also, ask them if they can prescribe a more powerful topical if your scarring is particularly severe.

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Skin Cancer Is A Disease In Which Malignant Cells Form In The Tissues Of The Skin

The skin is the bodys largest organ. It protects against heat, sunlight, injury, and infection. Skin also helps control body temperature and stores water, fat, and vitamin D. The skin has several layers, but the two main layers are the epidermis and the dermis . Skin cancer begins in the epidermis, which is made up of three kinds of cells:

• Squamous cells: Thin, flat cells that form the top layer of the epidermis.
• Basal cells: Round cells under the squamous cells.
• Melanocytes: Cells that make melanin and are found in the lower part of the epidermis. Melanin is the pigment that gives skin its natural color. When skin is exposed to the sun, melanocytes make more pigment and cause the skin to darken.

Skin cancer can occur anywhere on the body, but it is most common in skin that is often exposed to sunlight, such as the face, neck, and hands.

Skin Cancer On The Face: Types And Prevention

Casey Gallagher, MD, is board-certified in dermatology. He is a clinical professor at the University of Colorado in Denver, and co-founder and practicing dermatologist at the Boulder Valley Center for Dermatology in Colorado.

• Prevention

Because it is exposed to the sun more than other parts of the body, the skin on your face is especially vulnerable to skin cancer. And skin cancer on the face can be mistaken for other conditionssuch as age spots, pimples, scarring, acne, styes, and cysts.

Skin cancers that tend to occur more often on the face include actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. The face is also a common site of melanoma and there are several other lesser-common skin cancers that can affect the face. The risk of getting skin cancers on the face increases with high amounts of sun exposure and other ultraviolet light exposure.

About 75% of non-melanoma skin cancers occur on the head or neck.

Skin cancer occurs when cells in the skin’s layers become damaged in ways that cause them to look and act differently than the normal healthy cells around them and start to grow out of control. UV rays play a major role in damaging cells by causing gene mutations.

You can watch for signs of skin cancer on your face by paying attention to new or odd-looking spots or feeling growths, splotches, or moles.

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Should I Have Routine Skin Cancer Screenings

While many routine cancer screenings, such as colonoscopies and mammograms, are recommended when a person reaches a certain age, there are no widely adopted age standards for dermatological screenings. Most primary physicians will perform a quick skin check at a routine physical, but we recommend that those with a higher risk for skin cancer have a thorough skin screening by a dermatologist at least once a year. This includes anyone with:

• A family history of melanoma in two or more blood relatives
• Multiple atypical moles
• Numerous actinic keratoses
• An organ transplant

Possible Signs And Symptoms Of Melanoma

The most important warning sign of melanoma is a new spot on the skin or a spot that is changing in size, shape, or color.

Another important sign is a spot that looks different from all of the other spots on your skin .

If you have one of these warning signs, have your skin checked by a doctor.

The ABCDE rule is another guide to the usual signs of melanoma. Be on the lookout and tell your doctor about spots that have any of the following features:

• A is for Asymmetry: One half of a mole or birthmark does not match the other.
• B is for Border:The edges are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred.
• C is for Color:The color is not the same all over and may include different shades of brown or black, or sometimes with patches of pink, red, white, or blue.
• D is for Diameter:The spot is larger than 6 millimeters across , although melanomas can sometimes be smaller than this.
• E is for Evolving: The mole is changing in size, shape, or color.

Some melanomas dont fit these rules. Its important to tell your doctor about any changes or new spots on the skin, or growths that look different from the rest of your moles.

Other warning signs are:

• A sore that doesnt heal
• Spread of pigment from the border of a spot into surrounding skin
• Redness or a new swelling beyond the border of the mole
• Change in sensation, such as itchiness, tenderness, or pain
• Change in the surface of a mole scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or the appearance of a lump or bump

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When Melanoma Can’t Be Cured

If your cancer has spread and it is not possible to cure it by surgery, your doctor may still recommend treatment. In this case, treatment may help to relieve symptoms, might make you feel better and may allow you to live longer.Whether or not you choose to have anti-cancer treatment, symptoms can still be controlled. For example, if you have pain, there are effective treatments for this. General practitioners, specialists and palliative care teams in hospitals all play important roles in helping people with cancer.

What Tests Are Used To Stage Melanoma

There are several tests your doctor can use to stage your melanoma. Your doctor may use these tests:

• Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: Patients with melanomas deeper than 0.8 mm, those who have ulceration under the microscope in tumors of any size or other less common concerning features under the microscope, may need a biopsy of sentinel lymph nodes to determine if the melanoma has spread. Patients diagnosed via a sentinel lymph node biopsy have higher survival rates than those diagnosed with melanoma in lymph nodes via physical exam.
• Computed Tomography scan: A CT scan can show if melanoma is in your internal organs.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan: An MRI scan is used to check for melanoma tumors in the brain or spinal cord.
• Positron Emission Tomography scan: A PET scan can check for melanoma in lymph nodes and other parts of your body distant from the original melanoma skin spot.
• Blood work: Blood tests may be used to measure lactate dehydrogenase before treatment. Other tests include blood chemistry levels and blood cell counts.

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After Squamous Cell Cancer Of The Skin Has Been Diagnosed Tests Are Done To Find Out If Cancer Cells Have Spread Within The Skin Or To Other Parts Of The Body

The process used to find out if cancer has spread within the skin or to other parts of the body is called staging. The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.

Basal cell carcinoma of the skin rarely spreads to other parts of the body. Staging tests to check whether basal cell carcinoma of the skin has spread are usually not needed.

The following tests and procedures may be used in the staging process for squamous cell carcinoma of the skin:

See A Suspicious Spot See A Dermatologist

If you find a spot on your skin that could be skin cancer, its time to see a dermatologist. Found early, skin cancer is highly treatable. Often a dermatologist can treat an early skin cancer by removing the cancer and a bit of normal-looking skin.

Given time to grow, treatment for skin cancer becomes more difficult.

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Preparing For Your Appointment

If you have any concerns about the health of your skin, it is important to share them with your doctor. After making an appointment, there are steps you can take to prepare yourself and make the most of your time with your doctor.

Here are some things to consider and be prepared to discuss before visiting the clinic or hospital:

• What symptoms are you experiencing ?

• When did you first notice your symptoms?

• Have there been any major changes or stressors in your life recently?

• What medications and/or vitamins are you taking?

• What questions do you have for your doctor?

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer that can show up on the skin in many ways. Also known as BCC, this skin cancer tends to grow slowly and can be mistaken for a harmless pimple, scar, or sore.

Common signs and symptoms of basal cell carcinoma

This skin cancer often develops on the head or neck and looks like a shiny, raised, and round growth.

To help you spot BCC before it grows deep into your skin, dermatologists share these 7 warning signs that could be easily missed.

If you find any of the following signs on your skin, see a board-certified dermatologist.

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Skin Checks When Where And How

The Skin

The skin is the largest organ in the human body. Its main functions include protecting the body from the external environment, regulating body temperature and preventing dehydration.

The skin is composed of three main types of cell. Basal cells, which form the lower layer of the skin, squamous cells which form the top layer of the skin and melanocytes which produce a substance called melanin, the pigment that gives colour to the skin.

Skin Cancer

What is skin cancer?

Skin cancer occurs when either the basal cells, squamous cells or melanocytes in the skin begin to grow abnormally. This uncontrolled growth results in what is commonly termed a skin cancer. If the growth occurs in basal cells, it is referred to as a basal cell carcinoma, if the growth occurs in squamous cells, it is referred to as a squamous cell carcinoma and if the growth occurs in melanocytes it is referred to as a melanoma. Having regular skin checks means that these skin cancers can be detected very early, ideally when they are in situ meaning that they have not spread beyond the layer of the skin where those cells are usually located..

What factors increase the risk of skin cancer?

Reducing risk of skin cancers

Preventative skin checks

Skin Cancer Diagnosis Always Requires A Skin Biopsy

When you see a dermatologist because youve found a spot that might be skin cancer, your dermatologist will examine the spot.

If the spot looks like it could be a skin cancer, your dermatologist will remove it all or part of it. This can easily be done during your appointment. The procedure that your dermatologist uses to remove the spot is called a skin biopsy.

Having a skin biopsy is essential. Its the only way to know whether you have skin cancer. Theres no other way to know for sure.

What your dermatologist removes will be looked at under a microscope. The doctor who examines the removed skin will look for cancer cells. If cancer cells are found, your biopsy report will tell you what type of skin cancer cells were found. When cancer cells arent found, your biopsy report will explain what was seen under the microscope.

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How To Check Your Skin

• Make sure you check your entire body, as skin cancers can sometimes occur on parts of the body that are not exposed to the sun, such as the soles of the feet, between fingers and toes and under nails.
• Undress completely and make sure you have good light.
• Use a mirror to check hard to see spots, like your back and scalp, or get a family member, partner or friend to check for you.

Make An Appointment With A Dermatologist

After you have performed regular skin checks and once you discover a suspicious lesion, you have done your job. Now its time to see a dermatologist, a skin care specialist who can determine the definitive diagnosis. This may require a minor outpatient surgical procedure known as a biopsy. Occasionally, a more significant surgery will be required.

The biopsy specimen will be sent to the pathology lab who can determine whether or not the lesion was a skin cancer and, if it was, what type. Found early, skin cancer, even melanoma, is very treatable.

As for Peggy and Tina, happy to announce, neither were diagnosed with skin cancer.

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What Skin Cancer Looks Like

Skin cancer appears on the body in many different ways. It can look like a:

• Changing mole or mole that looks different from your others

• Dome-shaped growth

• Non-healing sore or sore that heals and returns

• Brown or black streak under a nail

It can also show up in other ways.

To find skin cancer on your body, you dont have to remember a long list. Dermatologists sum it up this way. Its time to see a dermatologist if you notice a spot on your skin that:

• Differs from the others

• Itches

• Bleeds

To make it easy for you to check your skin, the AAD created the Body Mole Map. Youll find everything you need to know on a single page. Illustrations show you how to examine your skin and what to look for. Theres even place to record what your spots look like. Youll find this page, which you can print, at Body Mole Map.

Warning Signs Of Skin Cancer To Pay Attention To

According to the World Health Organization , there are approximately 132,000 cases of melanoma and 2 to 3 million non-melanoma skin cancers diagnosed worldwide annually.

Signs of skin cancer can be subtle and difficult to identify, which can result in a delayed diagnosis. Being aware of the 7 most typical warning signs is the best way to prevent the most serious or fatal outcomes of a skin cancer by ensuring its earliest possible detection and diagnosis.

The 7 Signs

1. Changes in Appearance

Changes in the appearance of a mole or lesion is the simplest way to identify that something may not be right. While melanoma is the least common form of skin cancer, it is also the deadliest. Melanoma often appear as regular moles, but usually can be differentiated by some distinct characteristics. Use the ABCDE method to remember and detect these differences:

ASYMMETRY

The shape of the mole or lesion in question does not have matching halves.

BORDER

The edges of the mole or lesion are not clear. The color seems ragged or blurred, or may have spread into surrounding skin.

COLOR

The color is uneven. Different colors such as black, brown, tan, white, grey, pink, red or blue may be seen.

DIAMETER

If the suspicious mole or lesion changes in size there may be a problem. Increasing is more regular, but shrinking may also occur. Melanomas are typically a minimum of ¼ inch, or the size of a pencil eraser.

EVOLVING

ELEVATED moles that seem to stick out further on your skin.

5. Impaired Vision

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