Skin cancer types, symptoms and treatment

skin cancer types symptoms and treatment
doctor-doing-check-patient-with-skin-cancer

Do you know that skin cancer is one of the cancers that can be treated with little to no scaring if found earlier and given the right treatment?

What is skin cancer?

Skin cancer is a type of cancer in which the abnormal cells start growing rapidly in the outermost layer of the skin. It develops on the skin that is directly exposed to the sunlight. But, skin cancer at times can even affect the parts of the human body where there is little to no exposure to direct sunlight.  

In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about skin cancer treatment.

Table of Contents

What are types of skin cancer?

There are four different types of skin cancers:

One can reduce the risk of skin cancer by limiting or completely avoiding exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays by using sunscreens or sunblocks. And constantly checking the skin for any suspicious changes can help people detect any type of skin cancer at an early stage.

What are common symptoms of skin cancer?

Symptoms of skin cancer that one can check for on their skin are:

●    Asymmetric moles

●    Rugged border of the moles

●    Change in color of the moles

●    Moles or freckles that are larger in diameter, usually a mole or, freckle should not be larger than 6 millimeters

●    Also, check if the moles or freckles on your skin are multiplying rapidly because this is a huge sign of skin cancer

If a person is able to understand these eye-opening symptoms. Consult with doctor immediately then there is a huge probability to find the skin cancer if present any and, treat it at an early stage before causing any serious damages.There are a huge number of treatment options available for the patients

How skin cancer gets treated?

There are several skin cancer treatment options for patients. The cancer fighters can choose their treatments depending on their stage of cancer, their physical health, financial situation, and so on.

Some of the most common treatments are:

  • Surgery
  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiation therapy
  • Immunotherapy

Most often or not skin cancer treatment can be given in a dermatologist’s office or with outpatient surgery. However, more aggressive skin cancers, such as melanoma or Merkel cell carcinoma, may require more extensive treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, etc.

Let us get into each of the skin cancer treatment and learn about it:

Surgery

Surgery is the primary treatment for most cancers. For the patients who are suffering from basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas, a dermatologist or any other qualified doctor can perform an outpatient procedure by using some local anesthesia.

The cancer cells are destroy along with the skin surrounding it, under this procedure. It is known as margins. It prevent the spread of cancerous cells to the other parts of the body.

Chemotherapy

As the name suggest, chemical agents is use to treat the disease under chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is usually apply for advanced stage of patients. Topical chemotherapy can be an option for localized basal cell carcinoma.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy may be use following surgery in the areas where the lymph nodes were removed. This therapy kill any of the remaining cancerous cells. It is also use if the cancer relapses, the radiotherapy is use to reduce the size of metastases and to relieve the patient from the cancer symptoms. It is mostly use if cancer has spread to the bones or even to the brain.

Immunotherapy

It is designed to help the immune system identify and attack cancer cells back, The immunotherapy may be an option to treat Merkel cell carcinoma and melanoma. It allow cancer cells to disguise themselves as healthy cells. Cytokines are another type of immunotherapy drug that use molecules to help regulate immune activity. It stimulate the rapid growth and activity of immune cells so that they quickly attack the cancer cells.

Disclaimer

However, we have a little disclaimer here, Immunotherapy may not be ideal for all skin cancer patients. As they stimulate the immune system, immunotherapy treatments may also lead to some side effects, such as skin rashes or gastrointestinal problems.

Read Also: Best Cancer Hospital In the World

Conclusion

So, it is important to consult the doctor and, talk about your symptoms, condition, and your health goals and decide on a skin cancer treatment that is perfect for you or your loved ones.

You can now book your consultation  for personalized treatment with best oncologiston at mozocare.