Showing posts with label skin cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label skin cancer. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Skin Cancer Causes, Treatments and Results

By Barbara Thomas

Skin Cancer is the most popular forms of cancer with about 1 in 5 Americans becoming affected each year. The incidence on the cancer of the skin has been recorded to have risen more than the years from the enhance from the level of risk point and carcinogens inside environment.

Though you'll find 3 favorite type of skin cancer; the Basal cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma and Melanoma, the first two are not quite serious and can also be treated and cured easily. The third type, Melanoma, the cancer with the melanocyte is the most severe of the whole lot and causes one of the most number of skin cancer associated death about the world.

What are the primary reasons of Skin Cancer?

.Exposure to sun

The amount a single bring about of skin cancer will be the over exposure on the Ultra Violet rays of the sun or any other sources. The time of exposure, the intensity from the UV rays and regardless of whether the skin was protected (with clothes or anti sun creams) all decides the chance of owning skin cancer from the extended run.

.White skin

White skinned folks are more prone to cancer on the skin than the darker skinned ones, and the difference comes due to the level of naturally occurring sun protecting pigment within the skin; melanin. Melanin pigment which is high in dark skin protects it in the damaging rays of the sun thus saving it from cancer. But dark skinned men too, do have a chance from the disease though comparatively less.

.Exposure to carcinogen

Certain chemicals like arsenic, tar, nicotine and oil are observed to elevate the transform of getting skin cancer. Even though these occur under skin carcinogen, only extended term exposure is discovered to result in the disease in many cases.

.Family history'

The genetic makeup and the household history can also contribute towards the occurrence of skin cancer. Having an individual from the family affected with skin cancer increases the chance of acquiring the disease.

Besides all these risk factors, you can find even now quite a few causes that may well trigger skin cancer or elevate the chance of it.

How can skin cancer be treated?

There are many methods to treat skin cancer depending on the severity with the disease and exactly where it has affected. Early and proper diagnosis with the disease helps to treat it better and a lot more effectively. The several process to the strong treatment includes

.Surgery

Non melanomas cancer or tumour can also be totally removed by various surgical methods becoming followed today. Cryosurgery, effortless excision, dermabrasion, laser surgical treatment are among the surgical approaches that effectively removes the cancerous skin tissue.

.Chemotherapy

Inter venal or oral chemotherapeutic treatment targeted specially on the cancerous cells can treat the cancer by either killing the cells or arresting their cell division capability. Cancer in the skin is also sometimes treated by applying the chemotherapeutic medicine on a affected skin within the form or creams or ointments.

.Radiation Therapy

The two forms, external or the internal radiation therapy might be utilized for ones treatment depending on a sort of cancer. Depending on the kind of skin cancer and how significantly it had advanced, either type from the therapy is chosen.

.Photodynamic therapy

This is really a far more novel method to treat cancer and has little effect on a regular healthy tissue. Right here photoactive drugs are given towards patient and these drugs specially bind towards skin cells that are cancerous. As soon as laser light is shone on a patients affected areas, the drug becomes active and kills off the diseased cells leaving with the normal cells.

What are the results of Skin cancer treatment?

Different means towards the treatment of skin cancer have proven to be incredibly strong in removing the tumour and controlling the cancerous growth. But as in each other cancer treatment, these treatment too comes having a few side effects.

Surgical removal from the cancerous tissue during the skin can cause a lifelong scar over a body. and sometimes even an expert surgeon can not assure a cent percent zero scar removal in the cancer.

Chemotherapeutic treatment using creams and ointments can trigger inflammation from the area of application. The inflammations caused in some individuals are so severe that they may possibly must discontinue the medication and switch to other treatment scheme. Chemotherapy can also trigger nausea, vomiting and hair loss during the patients undergoing the treatment.


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Thursday, March 17, 2011

Age Spots - Possible Skin Malignancy Indicator?

By Johnny Whitmore

Sun spots, or Solar Lentigo as they is properly known, are induced by sun exposure. They are also known as liver spots because people in the past thought that they are a symptom of a liver disease. Sun spots are in reality benign in nature, but since they can make the skin look uneven, some people undergo cosmetic treatment to make them fade away.

Sun spots are more abundant in fair-skinned people than in dark-skinned ones. Although they are common among older people, they can sometimes appear on the skin of young adults, especially those who are constantly under the sun. Sun spots may appear as brown or red patches, or even darker. They are formed in areas that are usually bare like the face, the arms, and the hands.

Melanin production plays a major role in the formation of age spots, another term for sun spots. In fact, sun spots are a concentration of excess melanin in the skin. As a means of protection from the sun's UV rays, the skin would increase its production of melanin, which is characterized by the darkening of the skin due to sunburn. Sometimes, even when the sunburn has already healed, some portions of the skin, often in patches, will remain dark. Those dark patches are what we call sun spots.

Most people believe that sun spots are early signs of skin cancer although there is little or no evidence at all to prove that. However, proper diagnosis of the condition should be done as there have been reports of melanoma, a dangerous form of skin cancer, being mistaken for harmless sun spots. Sun spots may not be a sign of skin cancer but they indicate that the skin has received damaged and can be at a higher risk for skin cancer.

To prevent sun spots and other forms of sun damage, patients are advised to minimize their sun exposure. Most people do not realize that a minor sunburn is already a form of sun damage, and when left untreated may be contributing to more serious skin conditions. Wearing sunscreen and long sleeved shirt when working or playing outdoors are other excellent ways to avoid sun spots.

Sun spots usually form slowly and may only become prominent in the later years of a person's life, although sometimes, they can appear instantly as a result of sunburn. There are several ways to treat sun spots, with the most effective procedures quite expensive for most people. To avoid the trouble of having to go through cosmetic surgery, it would be best to learn more about the said condition.

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Thursday, February 3, 2011

Skin Cancer Radiation Therapy

By Bart Forcey


When radiation is used to treat skin cancer it is the use of x-rays to eliminate the skin cancer cells. It will usually take multiple visits for treatment before the skin cancer can be completely destroyed. It will take place over time. Skin cancer radiation treatment is generally used when skin cancer keeps coming back or is particularly resistant to treatment.

Skin cancer radiation treatment is not a first option for treatment. There are cases, however, where it is the only option that is available. Many times the condition of the patient or other mitigating circumstances will require the use of radiation treatment for skin cancer. The reasons that skin cancer radiation treatment might be used are many. It could be that the patient has other health considerations that prevent them from undergoing other forms of treatment.

The area where the skin cancer is either too large or in an area that is not conducive to treatment with surgery are other reasons that radiation treatment might be sought. It is always possible that a skin cancer has been treated but is reoccurring frequently.

This type of treatment has been shown to have some success for difficult skin cancers. In patients who were experiencing a fifty percent re occurrence of their skin cancer the radiation treatment dropped that number to twenty five percent.

However, there are a number of threats that accompanies rays of radiation while treating skin cancer. Fresh skin cancer may develop in the part that encloses the affected area. To a great extent,It might be difficult to cure skin cancer once it reoccurs after nursing it because of the radiation. And damage might reoccur to the healthy skin in the same area.

Many possible side effects must be kept in mind as you think of skin cancer radiation treatment. Fatigue, nausea, hair loss, and redness are all possible experiences. When the treatment is stopped, though, such effects will usually dissipate.

Your doctor should have already discussed this kind of treatment for your skin cancer if you are seriously considering it. You will need to be very careful in reviewing your situation, to ensure that this treatment suits your needs. Radiation may not be the best option for treating you skin cancer, and your doctor should consider all other treatment options before proceeding with radiation treatment.

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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

What Are the Different Types Of Skin Cancer?

By Bart Forcey


Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer that is diagnosed every day. It is also highly preventable and very curable if it is caught early enough. There are three different types of skin cancers that can be found on your skin.

Squamous cell carcinoma, the first skin cancer you should know about it, comes from getting too much sun. For that reason it is most often found on the face and ears. Squamous cell carcinoma starts off as a bump and later turns into an open sore that doesn't heal. If you go without treatment, it will get bigger and bigger. This type of skin cancer can also spread to more parts of your body if you do not get it treated.

Basal cell carcinoma is another one of the types of skin cancers. These are generally found on the face, hands and neck and are as many as seventy five percent of all skin cancers that are diagnosed. Basal cell carcinoma is very treatable and can be cured quite easily if it is found early enough. The symptoms of basal cell carcinoma are a sore that bleeds and is irritated. It may also resemble a fresh scar.

Melanoma is the last and potentially the most dangerous of all the types of skin cancer. Melanoma can be found on any part of the body, but is usually found on the arms and legs and is often mistaken for a mole or a freckle. Melanoma is particularly dangerous because it can come from an existing mole that has recently changed size, shape, or color.

It is imperative that the melanoma type of skin cancer be found and eradicated early to prevent the problems that will come with the later stages of this skin cancer.

You can do a great deal to prevent skin cancer from occurring. Make sure that you take precautions when you are out in the sun to protect your skin at all times. Wear a sunscreen every time you are outside no matter the season.

Be sure to wear clothes that keep exposed areas covered. Wear your hat to keep your neck and face protected. Be sure to examine your skin for potential skin cancers frequently. Early detection often makes the difference to survival.

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Saturday, August 28, 2010

Information On Types Of Skin Cancer

Cancer is considered as a disease that causes uncontrolled build up of cell in the human body caused by abnormalities in the system genetic make up. These abnormalities are formed from substances, radiation and/or other contagious agents. This growth of the cells then turns into what is considered a cancer that can spread throughout the body, although not every cancer are tumor based.

Skin cancers known to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer and can be identified by their malignant growth that can normally be found anywhere over the upper coating of the skin surface which makes it one of the easiest cancers to detect. The three main categories of skin cancers are malignant melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancers, Squamous cell carcinoma and Basal cell carcinoma being the most common but least fatal.

Malignant melanoma is the least common of the three skin cancers but is the most fatal once it begins to spread. On average It is responsible for about 3 out of every 4 every skin cancer related casualty and WHO (World Health Organization) reports about 48,000 Malignant melanoma related fatalities worldwide per annum. It is frequently found in Caucasian men who dwell within very sunny geographic locations. The remedy for this skin cancer is usually done through radiation treatment, chemo and immunotherapy or surgical removal of the skin tumor.

Non-melanoma is a very rare case of skin cancer that probably noted for maybe 1% of individuals diagnosed in the UK. They are Sarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, T Cell lymphoma of the skin and Merkel cell carcinoma than can be treated in different ways from the other three most common skin cancers. Non-melanoma cancers can also develop from a mole.
The Squamous cell skin cancer are more popular than malignant melanoma and metastasize more than the Basal cell cancer.

It is formed on skin cells called keratinocytes seen in the upper coating of the epidermis and can also spread to deeper layers of the skin and into the lymph nodes and other organs which can trigger secondary cancers such as sarcoma, Merkel cell carcinoma and T cell lymphoma of the skin. The Squamous skin cancer can also be formed from scars, burns, or ulcerations of the skin that were inflicted earlier on in life. This skin cancer accounts for approximately 1 in 5 skin cancer cases.

The basal cell cancer mostly affects the areas of the skin that is more commonly exposed to sunlight like the face and hands but can also spread to other areas of the skin such as the back and lower leg areas of the skin even though this rarely occur(s). The Basal cell cancer is in most cases diagnosed when a person is in the middle or old age of an individual's life however, it is the easiest skin cancer to treat through surgery or radiation methods.

If this skin cancer is left untreated it can develop into a rodent ulcer which is a deep ulcer in the skin that expands into and devour the skin tissues that surround it. Having the Basal cell cancer in the past increases a person's chances of getting the cancer another time.

Please visit this link for more information on Types Of Skin Cancer : http://www.typesofskincancer.net/ and this link for information on Different Skin Cancers : http://www.typesofskincancer.org/

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

What Does Melanoma Look Like? Nurse's Guide

If you have a skin mole, skin lesion or skin discoloration that's causing you some concern, you may have wondered or started worrying about possibly having malignant melanoma. You may be wondering what does melanoma look like and what are the stages, signs and symptoms? Melanomas usually have uneven borders and do not have the same shape all around. They can start out as a mole and turn into a melanoma, which is a malignant, meaning a cancerous lesion.

One of the big reasons to catch melanoma early is that it is not confined to the area on your skin where it's found and can spread fast. Many skin cancers are local only; they are not systemic, meaning they may not involve other parts of your body. But melanoma is different. It involves your whole body and your immune system so you want to catch it early.

Most moles don't change. If yours has changed or is changing, then make sure to look at the following.

Generally to recognize a melanoma you want to follow the ABCDE rule. A for asymmetry - not even on all sides, B for Borders, C for color, D for diameter and E for evolving.

First of all take a close look at the lesion or mole with a magnifying glass. Don't rely on your normal eyesight. Do the edges seem to be symmetrical - is it even on all sides? A normal mole is usually round or oval.

Are the borders smooth? Or are the edges uneven, ragged, blurred or notched? A normal mole has borders that are even.

Look at the coloring of your mole or lesion. Do you see any areas that have varied colors such as tinges of blue, red, white, tan, pink or gray? A normal mole is an even shade of brown. Or light brown or tan.

Size of the mole - more often than not a melanoma is larger than one quarter inch measured across or in diameter. Sometimes they can be smaller but most are more than one quarter inch. A normal mole will usually stay the same shape, size and diameter.

Evolving which is the newest term when recognizing malignant melanoma means that the lesion or mole has changed in its size, shape and or color over time. Usually a short period of time. Normal moles generally stay the same shape for years.

Make sure to check your body regularly for any signs of moles, lesions or malignant melanoma. Be sure to have someone check the areas of your body that you cannot see like your back.

So that's how to tell and what melanoma looks like. If you think your lesion or mole could be a cancerous mole or malignant melanoma or see any changes that just don't fit with a normal mole or any other of the signs and symptoms see your doctor as soon as possible. You don't want to wait. Melanoma is systemic - meaning throughout your body so you want to get checked out as soon as possible.

For more tips, secrets and info on moles, melanoma, skin tags, natural treatments for eczema, dermatitis and acne, see a nurse's website http://www.Best-Skin-Solutions.com for eczema, acne, pimples, and skin disorders for adults, teens and babies, including info on skin cancer,

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Skin Cancer - Facts You Need to Know

While you have certainly heard of skin cancer, did you know that all three types of skin cancer are on the rise? This includes squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and the most serious form of skin cancer - melanoma. The good news is that almost all forms of skin cancer are preventable by avoiding sun exposure or other forms for ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It is also true that early detection can result in successful treatment of even the most aggressive types of skin cancers.

So what exactly causes skin cancer?

Skin cancer is most likely to form on parts of your body that have the most exposure to sun. The most vulnerable areas include your face, lips, scalp, chest, neck, arms, hands and women' s legs. You might be surprised to learn that skin cancer can also develop in areas of your body that are rarely (or never) exposed directly to sunlight. These areas include between your toes, under your toenails or fingernails, the palms of your hands, and the genital area.

The risk of skin cancer is not limited simply to people with light complexions. But when dark skinned people do develop melanoma, they are more likely to experience it in parts of the body not usually considered to be sun-exposed.

There is also no standard time table for skin cancer to develop. Depending on the type of cancer, a skin lesion can develop slowly over many years or appear very suddenly.

Warning signs of skin cancer are usually visual. For basal cell carcinoma, you may notice a waxy bump on your face, neck or ears, or a flat brown scar-like lesion on your back or chest. Squamous cell carcinoma usually appears as a firm red nodule, or a flat scaly lesion, on the face, neck, ear, hands or arms.

Melonoma, which is the most deadly form of skin cancer, can develop anywhere on the body - although it is found most frequently on the trunk, head or neck of men and the arms or legs of women. Melanoma can appear as a large brown spot with darker speckles, or a mole that suddenly changes color or size or bleeds. Melanoma can also appears as a small lesion with an irregular border and blue, red, black or white spots. Shiny, firm dome-shaped bumps can also be a warning sign of melanoma, as well as dark lesions on the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, or on the mucous linings of the nose, mouth, anus or vagina.

While not all changes in your skin are cancerous, it is best to have your doctor examine any changes that you notice. With early detection, most skin cancer can be treated. And with proper sun protection, most skin cancer can be avoided altogether.

Barb is an online author who writes on many topics. She is a big believer in keeping a beach umbrella or sun cabana in the car, which she buys online at http://portablesunshade.com

Monday, May 18, 2009

3 Major Types Of Cancer Explained

Cancer is a disease that can affect any of the body's cells. It starts to develop when the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in your body's cells becomes disrupted or damaged. DNA contains specific instructions that tell your cells when to divide and multiply which allows them to grow in a controlled manner. If the DNA becomes disrupted then these instructions become distorted your cells start to grow in a rapid and uncontrollable way. This uncontrolled growth causes a lump to form which is referred to as a tumour. This tumour can ultimately become cancerous and start to affect other areas of the body. In this article I will be discussing three of the major types of cancer in greater detail.

1) CARCINOMAS:- Carcinomas are the most prominent type of cancer accounting for around 85% of all diagnoses. They develop in the epithelial cells that line the body and its organs. Carcinomas can be further grouped into four sub-types; squamous cell carcinomas (which affect the lining of the mouth and the airways), adenocarcinomas (which affect the lining of the glands), transitional cell carcinoma (which affects the lining of the bladder) and basal cell carcinomas (which affect the skin).

2) LEUKAEMIAS & LYMPHOMAS:- These types of cancer represent around 7% of cancer cases. They are grouped together because they both develop in the cells of the immune system. Leukaemias develop in the cells of the myeloid system which protects your body from bacteria and parasites. Lymphomas develop in the lymphatic system which help your body fight infection.

3) SARCOMAS:- Sarcomas are one of the rarest types of cancer accounting for less than 1% of all diagnoses. They develop in the connective tissues of the body and can be further divided into three main sub-types; bone carcinomas (which affect the bones), gastro-intestinal stromal tumours (which affect the stomach and the intestine) and soft tissue sarcomas (which affect soft connective tissues such as muscle and fat).

Cancer is a horrible disease which very often turns out to be fatal. Unfortunately, many people know very little about this condition and how it develops. I hope this article has helped you learn a little more about this disease and shed some light on the various types of cancer and the cells they affect.

Whilst every intention has been made to make this article accurate and informative, it is intended for general information only. Cancer is a very serious, life threatening condition and you should discuss any concerns, treatments or lifestyle changes fully with your doctor.

Tom Parker owns and operates a number of useful fitness resources and websites. You can learn more about the different types of cancer by visiting; http://blog.freefitnesstips.co.uk/what-is-cancer.html

Monday, January 19, 2009

Would Believe That Eggplant Can Treat Skin Cancer Successfully?

What I am about to tell you is about a product that will not improve a persons survival of cancer for a year or two, but for a lifetime when death happens because of natural causes and not because of cancer.

And success can usually be seen in 3 months! 80,000 cases later and not one case of cancer is on record of coming back. Now that is real success! And it does not harm healthy cells.

Now this research is not from some obscure private company conducting their research on the kitchen table, but from the prestigious Royal London Hospital. Look up Royal London Hospital in the Wikipedia and you will see that the hospital was founded in 1740.

No one in the medical community is paying attention to this discovery. Only one MD had the courage to publicize the facts and has spent the rest of his career making sure that anyone that will listen will be convinced that nobody does it better than Mother Nature. He may even be changing the way things are done in modern medicine.

Now let's get down to it. Would you ever believe that a simple extract from the eggplant could ever have anything to do with treating cancer? What we are talking about are non-melanoma skin cancer also known as squamous and basal cell cancers. What is really surprising is that some researchers have know about this for over 20 years. It wasn't until Jonathan Wright, MD published the research and dared to expose the truth.

The Royal London Hospital conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial using a form of eggplant extract which was designated BEC5. During the trial doctors attacked both invasive and non-invasive non-melanoma skin cancers. The results were overwhelming and were equal to or better than the results from invasive surgery. The only difference is that there were no scars.

The real plus here is that the cancer never returned. This is fantastic because cancer treated with chemo and/or other traditional cancer treatment usually returns in 95% of the cases.

This is a major breakthrough.

Why? Because there are more than a million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer diagnosed every year.

Are you wondering why this major breakthrough was never announced. Answer: Modern medicine has a "golden rule" - those with the gold make the rules!

Now let's investigate why eggplant works. Eggplant is an alkalizing food, BEC5 BEC5 works because it contains a plant sugar called rhamnose. Specific endogenous lectins, are present in the plasma membranes of susceptible cancer cells, but they not present in normal cells. Therefore BEC5 recognizes and binds the sugar rhamnose of the glycoalkaloid to the cancer cell.

These endogenous lectins are receptors for the sugar part of the glycoalkaloids. They enter the cancer cell and cause cell death by destroying the lysosome.

The side effect are minimal. There may be some reddening. The patient will also experience, during treatment, an ulceration and shedding of unwanted skin cells. The affected area should be cleansed with a mild antiseptic. Avoid any contact with the eyes.

The length of time for continuous treatment is 7 to 60 days and is dependent on the success of the application. Do not apply BEC5 to moles and melanomas and should not be used by people who are allergic to eggplant or aspirin.

BEC5 helps remove and protect again skin sun spots and really is a major step forward for the control of skin cancer. It's proven efficacy and safety is a significant breakthrough for the majority of skin carcinomas which appears to be a common form of skin cancer.

Joni Bell has many years of extensive study in the area of natural cancer prevention and treatment. He has numerous success stories of people being diagnosed living cancer free with use of alternative methods. http://apricotpower-info.com/

Thursday, October 30, 2008

The Three Types Of Skin Cancer

By Dane Masters

The other day, I was taken by the hair coloring of a clerk at the local store. I commented on how beautiful it was, with the dark base and the natural-looking streaks, as if the sun had touched her alone; and we began a conversation of how when we were younger we would not have to use any hair dyes: we just sprayed SunIn on our hair and laid out in the sun for an hour or two. This of course led us to discussing the near impossibility of doing that now, as we have blasted the ozone layer(s) so hard we have created a direct line between us and the harsher (more deadly) rays of the sun (and no, SunIn is a pump spray, not an aerosol, so we didn't have to go there with culpability and irony and all).

You have however not come to this page to know more about sun free hair coloring methods, what you want to know more about is the many types of skin cancers. There is evidence that chemicals as well as the damaging rays of the sun are possible causes of skin cancer, but since we are not doctors or experts, what you would find here is some basic knowledge about skin cancer.

There are three different types of skin cancer including Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Basal Cell Carcinoma also called non-melanoma skin cancer; and Melanoma.

Melanoma (also called Malignant Melanoma or Cutaneous Melanoma) - The cancer cells take birth in the melanocytes which is the pigment that gives skin its color. The University of Maryland medicine says that Melanoma is the most harmful of all the different types of skin cancer. It mostly occurs in people who have fair skin, light hair and light eyes. It also occurs in people who have other complexions too. People who have brown or black complexion are equally at risk of contracting Melanoma. The symptoms of the disease includes moles that have recently changed color, shape, size, or its state (if it starts to ooze or bleed), or a mole that according to the University of Maryland medicine is swollen, itchy, or hard.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma- This is also known as non-melanoma skin cancer. In the early stages it manifested in red colored patches or nodules in the skin. It is the second most common type of cancer and affects mostly the fair skinned. It is evident mostly in the rims of the ears, lips, face, and mouth.

Basal Cell Carcinoma - The second of the types of skin cancer, Basal Cell Cancer, typically starts as a "small, fleshy bump or nodule," most commonly found on the head, neck, and/or hands. Of the three types of skin cancer, Basal Cell Carcinoma, which is typically found in Caucasians, say those at UMM, make up "more than 90 percent in the U.S..

My mother had the second most common of the types of skin cancer, on her lip, and while we at first teased her that it was herpes, she was smart enough to know it was a "sun blister" and quick enough to catch it by going to a specialist. That's the good news, to give you hope when you bemoan the loss of days picnicking, swimming, and "bathing" under the wonderful sun.

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