WHAT IS SKIN CANCER AND VARIOUS TYPES OF SKIN CANCER

MEDICAL EDUCATION ON SKIN CANCER

INTRODUCTION:  What is Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the World. It mainly affects the labourers, road workers. Skin cancer mainly affects the skin of the face, neck & the other parts are mostly exposed to sun & the ultraviolet radiation. Awareness and quality medical education about skin cancer can prevent a person of having skin cancer. 

As skin cancer is easily detectable and is the most successfully treated type of cancer. Early diagnosis and skin cancer treatment can lead to preventing its metastatic (spreading to other organs) form. Extreme exposure to sun & ultraviolet radiations is the main & primarily cause of developing skin cancer.

TYPES OF SKIN CANCER

Types of skin cancer depend upon the type of cells from where they have developed. Our skin is made up of different layers so the name & type of tumor is on the basis of the layer from where they have developed. Mainly there are three types of skin cancer which are further categories into different types. The different types & description of these types are as follows:

1). BENIGN SKIN TUMOR

2). BASAL CELL & SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

3). MALIGNANT CELL TUMOR

1). BENIGN SKIN TUMOR: These are the tumors that are localized only to the site where they develop means they don’t have the tendency to spread to nearby organs. These are as follows:

CYSTS: These are the types of tumors that are developed from the epithelium layer & are characterized by the cavities that contain fluid or solid material. These may also develop from the sebaceous (sweat) glands.

WARTS: This type of benign tumor caused by infection with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). These usually develop on the sole of foot or in the genital area & are sexually transmitted.

ANGIOMAS: These develop from the subcutaneous tissue of the skin. They are present at the time of birth as violet-red patches & later in volute with-in first year of life as port wine angiomas.

MOLES: These are yellowish brown to black in colour & are flat lesions that contain hair inside it. These can lead to malignancy so the removal in earlier stages is very important to prevent malignancy.

KELOIDS: These are the overgrowth of fibrous tissue at the site of a scar or trauma. These are more common in the dark skin people.

DERMATOFIBROMA: These are the benign tumors of the connective tissues & are mainly develop in the extremities. These are skin colured or bright pink in colour.

2). BASAL CELL & SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA:

a). BASAL CELL CARCINOMA: It is the most common type of skin cancer & generally appear on the sun exposed area of people who are exposed to intense sun. It is small, waxy nodule mostly appear on face. It undergoes central ulceration & crusting as grows. The chances of metastasis are very low but the chances of re-occurrence are very high.

b). SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA: It is malignant type developed from the epidermis. It appears on the sun damaged area. It is metastasized by the blood or lymphatic system, this type of cancer is mainly responsible for cancer deaths.

3). MALIGNANT CELL TUMOR: In this type of cancer melanocytes are present in the dermis, epidermis or sometimes in the subcutaneous tissues. The main cause of the malignant tumors is ultra violet radiations. This type of cancer is more lethal than other types.

In the upcoming article on Medical education we will share various Health caring tips those will help you in preventing your Skin from Skin cancer. So Check out our Next upcoming article on “ MEDICAL HEALTH CARE TIPS TO PREVENT SKIN CANCER ” .