Options for Skin Cancer
Finding out that you have skin cancer, or any cancer for that matter, can be quite a shock. Sitting back and trying to figure out where you went wrong won’t help either. It doesn’t matter if you had severe sunburn several times when you were a child or if you regret all those days spent on the beach sunbathing. The time is at hand to figure out a treatment plan and move on.
Likely this plan will begin with surgery to remove the growth and continue on with radiation therapy or chemotherapy. But neither of these may appeal to you. At this point you must decide how practical you are willing to be or perhaps how daring. Most skin cancers diagnosed in the early stages are easily cured with one of the two treatments. Most are non–melanoma and so are not as dangerous. But if it is melanoma that has been diagnosed you may choose to research for yourself some of the alternatives. This is where you must be very careful. There are clinics worldwide that offer treatment alternatives; some of them even have scientific evidence to suggest they are useful. But many do not. Do not allow your need to cloud your judgment.
How many people can forget laetrile? Although some still swear by this miracle cure others will tell you that laetrile has never cured anyone of any kind of cancer and that it is worthless. Which side to take? Laetrile comes from apricot pits. Most often this was prescribed to patients at experimental clinics in Mexico. The doctors then reported results that were so impressive that these were met with the cynical eye of most North American doctors. These clinics reported ninety eight to one hundred percent success rates in the patient’s who had not had chemo or radiation therapies before coming to their clinics.
Instead of looking in that direction for treatment you are better off to make sure your nutritional needs are being met and that you can keep you spirits up. Stay away from sugars as this is like food to growing cancer cells. Eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruits; drink lots of water to flush your system. Do things to make you feel better emotionally. Little things to pick up your spirits are as important as the treatment plan you choose.
You could look into becoming part of a clinical trial of some new drug, but the danger here is that you may wind up in the control group and so be no further ahead than you are by following your doctors suggested treatment plan. Sometimes these clinical trials may work out for you. The advance medications that are being tried could be beneficial. But you have to understand that if they are still in the trial stage many will not be successful.
At the stage of being diagnosed the best thing you can do to improve your chances for a positive outcome is to quickly step into a treatment program
Basic information about skin cancer
Skin cancer is defined as ‘a malignant neoplasm of the skin’. The most common cancer, the risk of skin cancer affects a large cross section of the population, most notably those that have fair skin and freckles. Consequently, it is also relatively preventable when you take the proper precautions. Simply put, skin cancer is often caused by an over-exposure of the body to ultra-violet rays. It doesn’t matter where these rays come from; both the sun and commercial tanning beds give you a heightened risk of developing skin cancer. To most easily prevent your chance of getting this disease, it’s important to take the proper precautions when exposing yourself to the sun. When possible, wear clothing that is tightly woven to avoid the suns rays. A loose fit on your clothes is another way to ensure that as few rays as possible reach your skin. Dark colored clothing is also known to help ward off ultra-violet rays, so all of these precautions should be taken when you are planning to be in the sun for an extended period of time. Also, it is crucial to wear sun screen when exposing your body to the sun’s rays. An SPF value of at least 15 is recommended for those who wish to sun themselves without significantly increasing their risk of developing skin cancer. Also, do your best to avoid exposing yourself to the sun’s rays between 10 AM and 3 PM. These are the hours of the day in which the sun produces the most UV rays, and avoiding sun during these hours is recommended to decrease your likelihood of skin cancer. Your lips should also be protected with an SPF lip balm, since the risk of lip cancer is increased by too much sun exposure. Sunglasses can also be a good idea; they help you to avoid getting too much exposure to the sun on your eyelids, which are sensitive layers of skin which can develop skin cancer just the same as the rest of your body.
There are three types of skin cancer: the two that are most harmless are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. When these cancers are discovered, it is usually possible to treat them without much of a risk, with a full 90% of all carcinomas diagnoses being treated properly. However, there is another, more deadly type of skin cancer, which is known as malignant melanoma. This type of skin cancer can spread to other parts of the body, including the lungs and the liver, and can be very difficult to treat. While this cancer can be removed with a high success rate when caught early, advanced cases of melanoma can be very difficult to treat. Melanoma accounts for a full 75% of all skin cancer cases which result in death. If melanoma is diagnosed while in an early stage, treatment can be very simple and the risk of death is low. However, the longer you wait, the more exponential the risk of death grows.
What is malignant melanoma
There are three forms of cancer of the skin or skin cancer and the most dangerous of all is a cancer in the melancytes. Skin cancer in the melancytes manifests itself as a tumor in those cells that produce melanin which is a substance which helps to colour your skin.
When it comes to the skin cancer malignant melanoma, it means that the cells which decide what color your skin, eyes and hair is, and how easily you tan, develop abnormal characteristics and a colored mole for instance may begin to change shape or color.
It is also possible for malignant melanoma to affect the choroids of the eye, which is the layer just behind the retina. It does not hurt, but it can cause blurred vision and other problems with your vision as it can cause a detached retina. Malignant melanoma is the most common form of eye tumor.
You should know that less than one of three instances of the skin cancer malignant melanoma appears in existing moles. And surprisingly (because they look so awful), hairy moles hardly ever turn into malignant melanomas.
It is very important to get moles that are changing shape etc checked out by your medical doctor as soon as possible because as the cancer tumor from the malignant melanoma starts to get deeper into the skin the risk of the cancer spreading to other parts of the body increases dramatically. (This is known as spread).
The key to successful treatment of a cancer like malignant melanoma is early detection of the cancer symptoms, so consider checking your skin regularly and at least once every 3 months and maybe more frequently during the summer months.
Let us also have quick look at the most common symptoms of malignant melanoma. If a mole appears to change shape, develop irregular outline, change in size, getting bigger and sticking out more, changing in color, irregular coloring as different shades of brown, grey, red or blue, a mole that develops a halo or another mole around the original one, itching, painful or bleeding moles, moles that get softer or begin to crumble, then you need to see a medical doctor about it straight away.
Malignant melanomas are most common in areas that receive the most exposure to the sun but it can show up in any location on your body. For people with fair skin the risk areas are the upper part of the back, and for women there is an added risk are on the legs between the knee and the ankle.
Darker skinned people get malignant melanomas very rarely but when they do appear they usually appear on the soles of the feet or on the palms. It is also possible to get malignant melanomas behind the nails of the fingers and the toes.
The key to avoiding malignant melanoma in the first place is to use sun protection and avoid direct sunlight in the middle of the day if at all possible. Another important thing you can do to protect yourself or your young children is to wear clothes that cover up the parts of the body that are at risk. Getting a malignant melanoma is no fun, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Keep the Risks of Skin Cancer Down
It is better to take precautions and try to lower the risks of skin cancer then to have to deal with the treatments and worries should you discover that you have contracted skin cancer. There are no guarantees, of course, but taking some simple steps will go a long way to improving your chances of avoiding this all to common form of cancer
Try to avoid being in the direct sun during its peak hours which are between eleven and three o’clock. This is when the suns rays are at their strongest. If you have to be outside for any length of time during these peak hours be sure to wear a hat. Cover what you comfortably can and use sunscreen on the rest. Your sunscreen should have a SPF, sun protection factor, rating of a minimum of fifteen. There are many who believe that thirty is a safer minimum. Although sunscreen is really good to use never assume that it can protect you one hundred percent. It is still important to be smart about your exposure to the sun.
For example, you should never assume that because it is a cloudy dull day that the sun’s rays are gone. You may not be able to see the sun but it is still shining behind the clouds and that means that the ultraviolet light is still coming through. At least sixty percent of it is getting through, maybe more. Equally you should not assume that when swimming the water protects you from the sun’s rays. Unless you are submerged at least a foot under the water the suns ray are still reaching you.
Avoid tanning salons completely. They are not your friends. The use of tanning beds, tanning booths or tanning lamps may give you that healthy glow but they will also give you excessive exposure to ultraviolet light. Studies have proven that a tanning session of fifteen to thirty minutes is equivalent to a full days exposure to the sun outside. That is not a good thing to do to your body. Tanning lotions, creams and supplements do not increase your risk of skin cancer. But, so far researchers have come out against their use sighting other potential dangers. Having a tan is not worth these added health risks.
Although women seem to work harder on their tans, men are more likely to play outdoor sports. Both are just as likely to work in the garden, mow the lawn or work on exterior house maintenance. These are all outdoor activities that require you to cover up. Parents must take care to make sure that their children are also protected. Their skin is much more delicate. Several bad sunburns as a child puts them more at risk for skin cancer as adults.
Learn self-examination techniques. Do this every couple of months as this way if something appears wrong, or wasn’t there in your last self-examination, you will have found it early and go to see your health care provider immediately.
How effective is sunscreen against skin cancer?
Skin cancer is a disease that affects a vast cross-section of the population. An approximated one in five Americans will be diagnosed with a case of skin cancer in their lifetime. Many people believe that simply applying a high-SPF sunscreen will be sufficient protection when it comes to avoiding the risk of skin cancer. However, new studies show that the sunscreens that we trust to protect us against the sun’s harmful rays may not be as effective as we once thought they were.
Sunscreen provides the body with a good layer of protection from UV-B rays. UV-B rays are emitted by the sun, and they are the main entity responsible for people getting sunburns. By wearing a high SPF value sunscreen, you block many of the effects caused by the UV-B rays, and you probably won’t get a burned by the sun. However, most sunscreens do not provide sufficient protection from UV-A rays. Also, people that expose themselves to the sun while wearing sunscreen tend to stay out longer, allowing more and more UV-A rays to penetrate their skin. The increased exposure to the sun’s rays can add up; the risks of skin cancer increase regardless of how many UV-B rays that your sunscreen filters out. The UV-A rays tend to penetrate to the deeper layers of the skin, and they are also known to have a greater potential when it comes to giving you wrinkles or even skin cancer.
To that end, it is important to choose your sunscreen products wisely. If you wish to protect your body against all the rays of the sun, it’s important to choose a sunscreen that features broad-spectrum protection. “Broad-spectrum” refers to the different types of rays that the sunscreen protects against, both UV-A and UV-B. These products are known to help ward off the effects of the harmful UV-A rays better than their common sunscreen counterparts. For the best protection against UV-A rays, you should look for a sunscreen that contains the following ingredients: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, and/or avobenzone. It is also important to ensure that the sunscreen that you select has a high SPF value to keep the UV-B rays at bay. As a matter of fact, the SPF value advertised for sunscreens refers only to their ability to block the effects of UV-B rays. When going to the beach, be sure to pick up a sunscreen that is water-resistant. Also, it’s important to reapply the sunscreen regularly to ensure that you are getting a full protection. Another factor to note is how thinly you are spreading the sunscreen. Many people who use sunscreen apply too thin of a layer, limiting the effectiveness of the compound.
While sunscreen may not be as efficient as we once thought, it is still important to wear. They do protect the body against skin cancer, albeit in a limited way. The number of skin cancer diagnoses increase by the year, so it’s important to do all that you can do to protect your body.
Five Kinds of Skin Cancer
There are five different kinds of skin cancer. All of them are dangerous though some are to be worried about more than others. The most common type of skin cancer is Basal cell carcinoma with over a million Americans developing this cancer each year. Seventy five percent of all skin cancers treated are of this variety. This type of skin cancer is believed by physicians to be caused by a person spending too much time in the sun. Which is why this type of skin cancers tends to be found ion the more common places on the body that has sun exposure. This includes the face, scalp, and upper torso. Although they have more than one form basal cell carcinoma often begins like a shiny bump. It takes the form of a sore that does not heal or that heals and then becomes unhealthy looking once again. These are slow growing; rarely spreading to other parts of the body but still must be attended to quickly.
At least two hundred thousand Americans yearly are treated for Squamous cell carcinoma, this is the second most common and accounts for twenty percent of the cases of skin cancer. This one is also blamed on too much sun but is more common among middle aged and the elderly. They first appear as a crusty spot, but one with that appears reddened and irritated looking and does look very much like a small growth or boil. If you notice something that looks like this go immediately to your health care provider as Squamous cell carcinoma can spread to other parts of your body.
The next in line is the most dangerous of the skin cancers. That one is Melanoma and it affects four percent of those who are treated for skin cancers. It is considered the most dangerous because it is the most lethal. Although if found early the cure rate is a stunning ninety five percent effective. But once it begins its spread there is very little hope. So if you see changes to a mole or a new mole, especially if you are over thirty, see your health care provider immediately.
The remaining one percent if divided between Paget’s disease and Kaposi’s sarcoma. Paget’s occurs because of cancers in the sweat glands of the intestines, genitals or urinary tract and so the cancer shows up in the genital area or around the anus. It can also come out around the nipples because of cancer of the milk ducts though both men and women can have this problem. The sores look a like normal patchy skin, rashes, and can be very itchy or even painful. A biopsy is usually needed to determine if its just a skin condition or its Paget’s. Kaposi’s sarcoma is an AIDS related skin cancer related to herpes.
Learn self-examination, its a way to protect yourself that is easy and costs you nothing more than a few minutes of your time once every few months. Aren’t you worth it?
How the earth affects our risk of skin cancer
There are many reasons that one may become afflicted with skin cancer. A person’s heredity, skin type and UV exposure are all things to take under consideration when properly weighing the risk of skin cancer. However, more and more, skin cancer cases are being diagnosed at an increasing rate. Could this be due to lifestyle changes? It’s possible, but not altogether a confident hypothesis. One thing that may be increasing our risk for skin cancer is the condition of our planet.
The O-zone layer is a crucial part of our atmosphere. Consisting of triple-bonds of oxygen, this layer found on our planet helps to decrease the amount of ultra-violet rays that hit our surface. This layer, while key to our survival, is under attack by our very way of life. Pollution and climate change has eliminated as much as fifty percent of the higher layers of the O-zone layer, causing concern among scientists. Approximately thirty percent of the crucial layer in its entirety has already been destroyed. Since the depletion of the O-zone layer has reached epic proportions, more and more cases of skin cancer are being diagnosed. The Environment Program of the United Nations has even put out an estimate that for every one percent of the ozone layer we lose, there will be a two to three percent rise in the average person’s chance of getting skin cancer. For this reason, it’s important to take every precaution that you can when exposing yourself to the increasingly dangerous rays of the sun. If you’re not out looking for a tan, cover up the best you can and wear a hat. Thin layers of clothing do little to prevent the transmission of UV rays, so be sure to wear tightly woven clothing, preferably dark in color. In addition to the risks presented to humans by the destruction of the O-zone layer, plants are affected by the increased UV rays as well. Studies conducted in Tierra del Fuego correlated an increased risk of DNA damage to plants that received higher levels of ultra-violet exposure.
So, what can you do personally to help prevent further depletion of the O-zone layer? Unfortunately, as one person, there’s little that you can do. Chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, were discovered to cause damage to the O-zone layer over a decade ago and are now banned, making the individual’s contribution to the destruction of the O-zone layer severely lessened. Most of the damage to the O-zone layer being done now is due to the illegal use of stockpiled CFC products and HCFC products, which similarly damage the O-zone layer and will be phased out by most nations by 2015. The O-zone layer may begin to mend itself, but this is not expected to happen for the next 10 to 15 years, if it happens at all. To that end, all that you can really do is protect yourself from the sun’s rays and hope that corporate responsibility is present in those that would damage the planet that gives us all life.
Does Skin Cancer Affect Children?
It is only very rarely that skin cancer affects our children. But if we do not protect them as children their risks of skin cancer as adults are much higher. So, what can be done?
The most important thing we can do for our children as related to skin cancer is not assume that they are infallible. We must begin now to protect them and teach them to protect themselves so that their skin does not get damaged young. Studies show that the average person get fifty percent of their lifetime’s sun exposure by the time they are a mere eighteen years old.
We must be careful when taking our young children out to play. Never think that because they have youth they are not exposing their skin to the UV rays that an adult is. Their skin is more sensitive than ours. So, when they go to play in the yard, at the park or with the neighborhood kids, that need sunscreen higher than that recommended for adults. It is suggested that children use a SPF, sun protection factor, of no less that thirty. They should play outside only if they have their sunscreen on, with any exposed areas, those not covered by their clothes, well coated. Children should wear a hat to protect their heads from ultraviolet exposure. Remember that even when you are in a pool with your child, especially the youngest ones who play in wading pools, that the water does not protect them and they must wear sunscreen then as well. For water to offer any protection you must be submerged at least a foot.
What about our adolescent children? They are far more concerned about looking and acting cool than understanding any serious health risks for later in life can be based on what they do as teenagers. This is the time they begin to express themselves. They take direction from their friends, and want to impress each other with how they know more than their parents. They sunbath so they can look more attractive to the opposite sex. This is the time in their lives when the things that are important to them are what are happening that day not thirty years in the future. Yet research has proven that if in childhood the child has five or more serious sunburns it greatly increases their later risk of skin cancer.
You’ll need to work with your teenagers to convince them of the advantages of sunscreen use and wearing hats. Appeal to their vanity. Explain that without taking these precautions they risk, even at their age, peeling skin, blistering from a severe burn, or freckling. Suggest a sunscreen that has a moisturizer to improve their skin’s appearance. And if the only way to get them to wear a hat is to spend a couple of dollars extra on that funky one she wants, the one you’d never be caught dead in. Remember, you don’t have to wear it, but it will protect your child.
Decreasing your risk of skin cancer
While cancer is a disease that we cannot fully anticipate, there are some risk factors that weigh into a chance of a person developing skin cancer. Monitoring of the general patterns of the population’s skin cancer development has lead to a more accurate means of discovering a person’s risk. While some people with many risk factors will never develop the disease, it is helpful to know the chance that you stand.
Skin cancer represents the most commonly occurring cancer in the United States, and the number of skin cancer diagnoses increases by the year. While the number of deaths caused by skin cancer is low, it is important to treat the disease early to avoid complications. Almost 100% of all skin cancer cases are curable if treated in an early stage.
The main reason that people get skin cancer is excessive exposure of ultra-violet rays to the skin. Ostensibly, excessive exposure to the sun’s rays is the main factor that can cause the disease to develop. However, with the advent of tanning beds and sun lamps, a new risk is formed by those who wish to have a tanned appearance. The greatest risk of skin cancer is faced by those who have a light complexion and often get freckles. Usually, this is a risk factor for those with red hair or blonde hair. Skin cancer is most often diagnosed after age 50, but the damage that ultra-violet rays does to your body begins at an early age, so it is important to keep your tan in moderation. When you are going to the beach, it is important that you wear sun screen. Choose a wide-spectrum sun screen with a high SPF value to ensure that your body is getting the protection that it needs. If you’ve been out for a long time and the sun screen begins to wear off, it is important to reapply. Also, studies have shown that the sun’s rays are most dangerous between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM, so avoid these times for catching rays if at all possible. Another recommendation for those who are outside often is to wear clothes that provide protection from the sun. A tight weaving pattern, loose-fitting clothes, and dark colors are all aspects of proper clothing to wear when trying to avoid UV damage.
In addition to the risks represented by exposure to the sun and complexion type, it is also important to research whether or not skin cancer has occurred in members of your family. A full 1 in 10 patients that are diagnosed with skin cancer also have a close relative who was diagnosed with the disease.
While following these risk-decreasing habits, it is also important to ensure that you regularly check your body for the possibility of skin cancer. At least every three months, you should fully examine your body and note all differences in your skin’s appearance. The extended growth of moles, and bumps and interruptions in your skin can be cause for concern when it comes to this disease.
Moles and melanoma what you need to know
Skin cancer is one of the most commonly occurring diseases in America, and few realize how to know when there is a problem with their skin that they need to address with a doctor. In this article, we’ll discuss the prevalence of moles when it comes to detecting melanoma.
To understand more about moles when it comes to melanoma, it helps to know exactly what a mole is. Moles are actually benign growths of melanocytes, which are ‘color’ cells that are present in the skin. Most moles occur within the first year of life, and the number of moles a person has often peaks when they are between 20 and 30. In youths who face increased amounts of sun exposure, more moles are known to be present. The more a child is sunburned, the greater occurrence of moles they tend to have. As a matter of fact, one of the best indicators of a persons chance for developing malignant melanoma is counting the number of moles present on their body. To get a basic idea of the number of moles on a person’s body, counting the number of moles on the arm is commonly used as an indicator. Moles may grow throughout a persons lifespan, usually before age twenty, and while important to note, the mere growth of a mole does not mean that a person will develop melanoma.
Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer. There are three; squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. Malignant melanoma is the only type of skin cancer that represents a threat to other parts of the body due to its capability of spreading outside of the area of the tumor. For that reason, malignant melanoma is the most likely type of skin cancer to result in death. When skin cancer is detected early, even melanoma diagnoses are often fully treatable. While moles do not need to be present for malignant melanoma to occur, it is important to keep a watchful eye on the moles on your body to ensure that cancer isn’t present.
When checking the moles of your body for the possibility of skin cancer, there are many factors to consider. First, you should note any asymmetry that occurs in your moles. If any of the following symptoms are noted with your moles, it’s important to talk to a doctor to ensure that any problems that show up can be taken care of before they grow to be a more serious issue. Moles tend to grow uniformly and evenly, and when one area of the mole begins to grow faster than the others, a problem may be present. It’s also important to note the appearance of the border of the mole; they should be uniform and defined. If the borders of one of your moles begins to become poorly defined, hazy, or abnormal, it’s important to get it checked out. If one of your moles begins to change in color, with red, gray, or white pigments present, you should consult your physician. Finally, if your mole grows in size to be bigger than one centimeter or starts a sudden growth spurt after age 20, you should speak to a doctor. It’s important to keep an eye on your own body; 50 percent of all skin cancer cases are found via a self examination.