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Dermatology
> Skin Cancer Screening
Types of
Skin Cancer
There are
several types of skin cancer, the most common being Basal
Cell carcinoma. Basal Cell carcinoma most often occurs on
the sun-exposed areas of the skin and may look like an open
sore, reddish patch, or waxy growth with an elevated border
and central indentation. Treatment of Basal Cell cancer
includes: excisional surgery, electrosurgery,
microscopically controlled surgery and radiation
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
The second
most common type of skin cancer is Squamous Cell carcinoma.
Squamous cell carcinoma also occurs most often on
sun-exposed skin and may look like a scaly red patch with
irregular borders, a wart-like growth, or an open sore.
These cancers may bleed easily if bumped or disturbed.
Treatments for this type of cancer include: excisional
surgery, electrosurgery, radiation and microscopically
controlled surgery.
Melanoma Skin Cancer
The most
dangerous type of skin cancer is Melanoma. Melanoma may
occur on any area of the body and may resemble a mole, but
there are important differences. If you notice changes in a
mole you should contact a physician immediately. A melanoma
may present as an asymmetrical lesion with an irregular
border. If the color or pigmentation of the area is not
uniform, or if the diameter of the area is greater than six
millimeters, these are also danger signs.
Types of
Lesions
In addition to these three types of skin cancer, there are
two types of lesions that have the potential to progress
into skin cancer. One type of pre-cancer is Actinic
Keratosis, which appears as a scaly or crusty bump and can
be treated with curettage and electrodissection, shave
removal, dermabrasion, chemical peels, laser surgery, or
topical medication. The second type is Dysplastic Nevi.
Dysplastic Nevi are abnormal moles that resemble Melanoma
and are often asymmetrical in shape, have an irregular
border, vary in color, and are larger than normal moles.
They should be watched carefully for changes that may
indicate progressions to Melanoma.
It is important to remember that avoiding sun exposure and
tanning beds and wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or
higher can best prevent these types of skin cancer.
Skin Cancer Treatment
There are five standard methods for the treatment of skin
cancers. The two nonsurgical treatments are cryotherapy
(deep freezing) and radiation therapy. The three surgical
methods include simple excision, physical destruction
(curettage with electrodesiccation) and Mohs micrographic
surgery. Newer methods under investigation include
photodynamic therapy and immunochemotherapy.
The treatment of each skin cancer must be individualized,
taking into consideration such factors as patient's age,
location of the cancer, type of cancer and whether or not
the cancer has been treated previously. In some instances,
more than one type of therapy may be appropriate. But in
most cases, only one or two are necessary for a particular
skin cancer.
How to
perform a self-examination
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Examine your body front and
back in the mirror, then right and left sides
with arms raised. |
Bend elbows and look carefully
at forearms, upper underarms and palms. |
Look at the backs of your legs
and feet, the spaces between your toes and on
the sole. |
Examine the backs of your neck
and scalp with a hand mirror. Part hair for a
closer look. |
Finally, check your back and
buttocks with a hand mirror. |
Ned Snyder IV, MD
/ Plastic Surgery
Renee
Snyder, MD / Dermatology
901 West
38th Street, Suite 410
Austin,
Texas 78705
Phone:
512-533-9900
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