The diagnosis of skin cancer can be devastating. It is a scary time and you may be wondering what you should do next. If your skin cancer has been detected in its early stages your chance of survival is very good.
The best chance of keeping skin cancer under control is to be aware of your skin and notice any changes early enough to catch it before it progresses. Your odds of beating it greatly improve if you are proactive and catch it early.
In the first stages of skin cancer you will find out whether you have a non-melanoma skin cancer or a melanoma skin cancer. Early stages for both of these have a very good prognosis for survival. A basal cell carcinoma is very rarely spread beyond a second stage so the prognosis is very good if this is the type of skin cancer that you have.
If you have been diagnosed with a melanoma skin cancer it can and does spread beyond stage I and II if it is not stopped. When it is found in stage I and II the survival rate for a melanoma over five years is almost 100%. If it is found at stage III the survival rate drops to 60%. This is a large drop and shows the importance of early detection as the biggest cure for melanoma skin cancer.
It's absolutely imperative to inspect your skin on a regular basis at least once every month for signs of skin cancer. You should also see a physician regularly so that your skin can be examined as a part of your routine physical. If you detect anything suspicious on your skin you need to get it inspected by a doctor right away, especially if you have a discoloration or mole that seems to be changing shape and or color.
If you have a wound that will not heal, it could possibly be melanoma. Check with your doctor as to what to look for when conducting a self inspection of your skin. Knowing what to look will make it a lot easier to report any condition that may be of concern.
In its early stage, skin cancer can be quite small. The average size is that of a pea. However, skin cancer will grow progressively larger. If left untreated, it will metastasize to other organs and progress throughout the body. As this happens, rate of survival drops exponentially. The more involved the cancer, the more involved methods of treatment become.
The best chance of keeping skin cancer under control is to be aware of your skin and notice any changes early enough to catch it before it progresses. Your odds of beating it greatly improve if you are proactive and catch it early.
In the first stages of skin cancer you will find out whether you have a non-melanoma skin cancer or a melanoma skin cancer. Early stages for both of these have a very good prognosis for survival. A basal cell carcinoma is very rarely spread beyond a second stage so the prognosis is very good if this is the type of skin cancer that you have.
If you have been diagnosed with a melanoma skin cancer it can and does spread beyond stage I and II if it is not stopped. When it is found in stage I and II the survival rate for a melanoma over five years is almost 100%. If it is found at stage III the survival rate drops to 60%. This is a large drop and shows the importance of early detection as the biggest cure for melanoma skin cancer.
It's absolutely imperative to inspect your skin on a regular basis at least once every month for signs of skin cancer. You should also see a physician regularly so that your skin can be examined as a part of your routine physical. If you detect anything suspicious on your skin you need to get it inspected by a doctor right away, especially if you have a discoloration or mole that seems to be changing shape and or color.
If you have a wound that will not heal, it could possibly be melanoma. Check with your doctor as to what to look for when conducting a self inspection of your skin. Knowing what to look will make it a lot easier to report any condition that may be of concern.
In its early stage, skin cancer can be quite small. The average size is that of a pea. However, skin cancer will grow progressively larger. If left untreated, it will metastasize to other organs and progress throughout the body. As this happens, rate of survival drops exponentially. The more involved the cancer, the more involved methods of treatment become.
About the Author:
Every year skin cancer is diagnosed more than all other forms of cancer. Skin cancer is easy to detect if you check over your skin carefully regularly. For more information on skin cancer and to learn about skin cancer and the sun go to http://informationonskincancer.com today.
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