Skin Cancer

Overview

Skin cancer is one of the most common type of cancer. It can occur anywhere on the body, especially in sun-exposed areas. The main types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.

Signs and Symptoms

Changes in the colour of mole to black, brown, red, white or blue, Mole that increase in size, Moles with irregular shapes or borders, Itchy mole, Mole that bleeds, Thickening of the mole, A new unusual-looking growth on the skin, Crusty non-healing sores

Common Causes

Overexposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or tanning beds, Exposure to certain chemicals such as arsenic or polycyclic hydrocarbons, Family history of skin cancer

Risk Factors

Increasing age, Fair skin especially skin that burns easily but does not tan, Having unusual moles or many moles, Large number of freckles, Sunspots , Overexposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or tanning beds, Living closer to the equator or in higher latitudes, Occupations requiring prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation, History of severe sunburn, History of radiotherapy treatment, History of skin cancer, Family history of skin cancer, Weakened immune system due to conditions such as organ transplants or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection

Investigation Techniques

Medical history, Skin examination, Blood tests, Computerised tomography (CT) scan, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, Biopsy procedures such as punch biopsy, excisional biopsy or incisional biopsy, Sentinel lymph node biopsy to determine if cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, Positron emission tomography (PET) scan

Treatment and Prevention

Surgical excision , Mohs micrographic surgery, Curettage and electrocautery, Cryotherapy, Anti-cancer creams such as 5-fluorouracil and imiquimod, Photodynamic therapy , Radiation therapy, Chemotherapy, Targeted therapy, Immunotherapy, Skin cancer can be prevented by protecting yourself from the sun