Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma are the three most common types of skin cancer and affect millions of people each year. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States but fortunately most types are easily treated. Unfortunately, the most aggressive form, melanoma, kills thousands of people each year. The key to treatment though is prevention.
There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Melanoma requires aggressive treatment and there are very well defined guidelines about treatment. The other two types can be more conservatively treated. Depending on the stage, location, and size, several treatment options exists. Topical medications can be used which help to 'burn' the skin cancers, cryotherapy can be used to freeze the tumors, and surgical excision can be used to completely remove the tumors.
If surgical excision is the treatment of choice, for basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas in sensitive areas such as the face, eyes, ears, nose, and lips, Mohs micrographic surgery may be necessary. Mohs surgery is named after Dr. Frederic Mohs, an early 20th century surgeon who developed a special technique of examining pathologic skin specimens. The procedures allows for presevervation of as much normal tissue as possible.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure with skin cancer. Use of appropriate sunscreens, excess sun avoidance, and tanning avoidance are good ways to help prevent skin cancers from forming. These tumors don't generally appear overnight and are the result of a lifetime's worth of sun exposure and sometimes sun abuse.
A family or personal history of skin cancer and significant sun exposure warrant yearly head to toe skin examinations by a primary care physician or dermatologist. The sooner is a skin cancer is diagnosed and treated, the better the cosmetic and medical prognosis can be.
There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Melanoma requires aggressive treatment and there are very well defined guidelines about treatment. The other two types can be more conservatively treated. Depending on the stage, location, and size, several treatment options exists. Topical medications can be used which help to 'burn' the skin cancers, cryotherapy can be used to freeze the tumors, and surgical excision can be used to completely remove the tumors.
If surgical excision is the treatment of choice, for basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas in sensitive areas such as the face, eyes, ears, nose, and lips, Mohs micrographic surgery may be necessary. Mohs surgery is named after Dr. Frederic Mohs, an early 20th century surgeon who developed a special technique of examining pathologic skin specimens. The procedures allows for presevervation of as much normal tissue as possible.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure with skin cancer. Use of appropriate sunscreens, excess sun avoidance, and tanning avoidance are good ways to help prevent skin cancers from forming. These tumors don't generally appear overnight and are the result of a lifetime's worth of sun exposure and sometimes sun abuse.
A family or personal history of skin cancer and significant sun exposure warrant yearly head to toe skin examinations by a primary care physician or dermatologist. The sooner is a skin cancer is diagnosed and treated, the better the cosmetic and medical prognosis can be.
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Basal cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer. It originates in the topmost layer of the skin. It is found even in youngsters and if it is not treated then it can spread to adjacent locations. So one should not be late and should get treated on time. For more details different types of skin cancer, refer Basal cell skin cancer
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