What is cancer?.

Cancer occurs when mutations occur in normal cells of the body, enabling them to grow and multiply uncontrolled. When there are many cells, they form a mass called neoplasm, or a tumor.

A tumor can be both malignant and benign - a malignant tumor (cancer) can seize neighboring tissues, lymph nodes or spread through the body through the bloodstream. This process is called metastasis.

The harmful effect of the tumor on the body is that it takes away nutrients and oxygen from normal cells, poisons the body with metabolic products, and sometimes physically squeezes vital organs (blood vessels, heart, brain, etc.).. ) All this, in the absence of proper treatment, usually leads to a lethal outcome.

Skin cancer. Overview.

Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. According to American researchers, various forms of skin cancer diagnose more than a million US residents annually.

Data from recent years show that the incidence of skin cancer in industrialized countries is growing steadily. However, mortality can be reduced, which is associated with better methods of diagnosis and treatment. The main thing for a patient to survive is to turn to a specialist on time and undergo treatment.

In the United States, the chances of successful cure for patients with squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma reach 95%. In other cases, the cancer returns after some time after the treatment.

At the same time, melanoma is responsible for 75% of all deaths associated with skin cancer. In 2009, there were about 70. 000 people in the US (a population of about 300 million) fell ill with melanoma, and about 12. 000 died of this disease. The most important factor causing high mortality is inattention to one's health and a belated address to an oncologist.

There are three main types of skin cancer:.

Basal cell carcinoma (basioma) and squamous cell carcinoma (squamous cell carcinoma of the skin). These types of cancer account for the majority of cases. These tumors, although malignant, are not likely to form metastases in other parts of the body. Metastases with squamous cell carcinoma occur in about 1% of cases.

Melanoma, which is an insignificant proportion of skin tumors, is of great importance. It is an aggressive cancer that can often metastasize to other parts of the body. Melanoma, if left untreated at an early stage, can lead to death.

Like many other cancers, skin cancer begins with a precancerous condition. This is a kind of skin changes that can eventually degenerate into cancer. They are also called dysplastic changes:.

Solar (senile, senile) keratosis - areas with focal horn of the skin, yellowish-gray. Causes of the disease are unknown.

Dysplastic nevi (atypical moles) - may be irregular in shape, raised or flat, multicolored, usually large.

Ordinary birthmarks - rarely regenerate. Mole, which visually differs from the rest, should be checked.

Causes of Skin Cancer.

The causes of skin cancer are:.

Long exposure to the sun (UV rays).

Frequent visit to the solarium.

Radioactive irradiation.

Toxins: arsenic, hydrocarbons, oil products, soot.

Medicines: immunosuppressors (drugs that suppress immunity).

It is considered that in the risk group are such categories of persons:.

People with a white, delicate skin that easily get sunburn.

People with blond hair (red or white), as well as with blue or green eyes (Northern European peoples).

People suffering from diseases with a deficiency of skin pigment - albinism and pigment xeroderma.

People who already had skin cancer in the past.

People whose close relatives had skin cancer.

People with lots of moles, unusual and large moles.

People who have had at least one severe sunburn in their life.

It should be noted that basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are more common in the elderly. But melanoma often affects young people - the peak incidence of melanoma falls on the age of 25-29 years.

Symptoms of skin cancer.

Symptoms of skin cancer depend on the specific type of cancer:.

Basal cell carcinoma (basioma) usually looks like an uplifted, smooth, pearly tubercle. Occurs on the surface of the skin, often irradiated by the sun (head, neck, shoulders, hands).

Features of basal cell:.

- Small blood vessels are visible inside the tumor;.

- in the center of the basal cell a cavity is formed, which can bleed;.

- often represented as a sore that does not heal for a long time.

Squamous cell carcinoma (squamous cell carcinoma of the skin) is a clearly defined reddish papule on the sun exposed skin surface. Features of squamous cell cancer:.

- Like basal cell, this tumor can ulcerate and bleed;.

- in the absence of treatment, it grows to a very large size.

Most melanomas are brownish-black pigmented formations. Troubling signs:.

- a dangerous sign is a change in the shape, size, color of the birthmark;.

- the appearance of an adult in a new birthmark, as well as tenderness, itching, ulceration, or bleeding of an old birthmark.

To recognize a malignant melanoma, you can remember a few things:.

- asymmetry: one side of the tumor differs from the other;.

- Uneven edges: the borders of the tumor are sharp, of different shapes;.

- diameter: malignant melanoma usually more than 6 mm in diameter;.

- modification: the mole, which changes with time, should alert;.

- color: melanomas are often represented by a mixture of black, brown, red, white and even blue.

Treatment of skin cancer.

The treatment of the first two types of cancer - basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma - is fairly simple. Surgical removal of the tumor is usually recommended.

Malignant melanoma requires more serious treatment because of the high risk of metastases. Treatment may include tumor removal, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

The main method of treatment is surgical removal of the tumor. For small tumors, the simple-cut method, fulguration, curettage, freezing with liquid nitrogen (cryodestruction). For larger tumors, a special technique is used - micrographic surgery for Mohsa (careful removal of tissues layer by layer).

Radiation therapy is used to kill abnormal cancer cells. To do this, a narrow, directional beam is used that affects the tumor with minimal damage to healthy tissues. Radiation therapy can cause weakness and other side effects that the doctor will report before treatment.

Chemotherapy consists in taking cytostatics, suppressing the reproduction of cells and, consequently, the development of cancer. These drugs can cause a lot of serious side effects, but their use is sometimes necessary. For the treatment of melanoma, the methods of immune therapy and special vaccines. In the US and a number of other countries, work is underway to create new, highly targeted drugs against melanoma that will have a minimum of side effects.

Patients should remember that no "non-traditional" and "home" treatment methods can replace qualified treatment for an oncologist. Do not use the services of questionable medical practitioners (healers), especially if the doctor does not know about it.

All that the patient can do for himself is cancer prevention (will be described below), close monitoring of the health condition, mandatory follow-up of the doctor's recommendations.

After treatment of skin cancer, you need to carefully monitor your condition. If the disease returns, it usually occurs within the first three years after therapy. The doctor should observe the patient for several years, regularly doing the necessary procedures (examination of the skin, check of lymph nodes, x-rays, etc.. ) medbe. en.