SKIN CANCER
The skin is the body's outermost covering and largest organ of the body. It offers protection from heat and light, injury, and infection. It also helps regulate body temperature and stores water, fat, and vitamin D. The skin is made up of two main layers: the outer epidermis and the inner dermis.
There are 3 main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (which are referred to as non-melanoma skin cancer) and melanoma. Melanoma is the rarest and most serious form of the disease. The epidermis is made up of squamous cells, basal cells, and melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells from which melanoma begins to develop.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States and Arizona has one of the highest incidents of melanoma. Read more about melonoma at our laser and skin centre website.
Anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease is called a risk factor. Some of these risk factors for skin cancer are as follows:
Sun – sun exposure is one of the highest risk factors in developing melanoma.
Race - Skin cancer is most common among fair-skinned individuals who sunburn or freckle easily.
Sex - Rates of skin cancer deaths in white males have increased in recent years, possibly as a result of the increase in outdoor recreation activities.
Age - Rates of melanoma rise rapidly in Caucasians older than 20 years.
Individual History - Persons with certain types of moles or those with a family history of dysplastic nevus syndrome are at a higher risk for developing melanoma. Patients who have had non-melanoma skin cancer are at a higher risk for developing the disease again. Individuals who are exposed to the sun, x-rays, or ultraviolet light for long periods of time have a greater risk.
Screening for skin cancer
Routine examination of the skin increases the chance of finding skin cancer early. Most melanomas that appear in the skin can be seen by the naked eye. Usually, there is a lengthy period when the tumor expands beneath the top layer of skin but does not invade the deeper skin layers. This period allows for early detection and full recovery if the tumor is discovered before spreading deeper.
* National Cancer Institute