Index IntroductionCommon Types of Skin CancerRisk Factors and PreventionTreatmentFuture TreatmentsConclusionReferencesIntroductionSkin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States This type of cancer usually It begins in the form of a tumor which in most cases is benign and does not spread. The three main types of skin cancer, from benign to malignant, are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. People who have lighter skin are prone to getting skin cancer easily than those who have darker skin. Even if the risk is higher, it does not necessarily mean that they will get skin cancer. UV rays are the most common risk factors for skin cancer. Making sure you wear sunscreen whenever you spend time in the sun is an easy and one of the best ways to protect your skin from these cancers. Some people like to tan which can be dangerous because when the rays reach the deep layers of the epidermis it will create more melanin which will appear as if it is a tan but sometimes it can be deceptive and actually be cancer. Diagnosing cancer can sometimes be difficult, but there are some ways to be able to detect at home if there is even a slight chance that you may have cancer. The key to early detection is called the ABCD rule. A stands for asymmetry; the pigmented areas do not match. B stands for border; there are indentations. C stands for color; Contains several colors not just one. D stands for diameter; larger than 6 mm. If one has a mole that has all ABCs and Ds, it could mean it is cancerous and one should contact one's doctor. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Common Types of Skin CancerBCCs are tumors that look like lesions on the skin that arise in the deepest layer of the epidermis. BCC almost never spreads and usually remains just a benign tumor, but it should be taken seriously because it is possible that BCC can sometimes spread throughout the body and become life-threatening. Squamous cell carcinoma tends to appear as small burns on the skin. It consists of the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the squamous layer of the epidermis. SCCs tend to appear as open sores and can be found anywhere on the body, including the lips, scalp, and neck. Melanoma is the most malignant but also the least common skin cancer. It is called melanoma because it starts in the melanocytes. It can develop anywhere the skin is exposed to UV rays, but is more likely to appear first on the chest in men and on the legs in women. People with dark skin are less likely to get it, just like any other skin cancer, but they are the most likely to get melanoma on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet and under the nail. The most interesting thing is that you can find melanoma in parts such as the eyes, mouth, genitals and anal area. It spreads more than BCC and SCC if it is not detected in time. This is why it is important to know and use the ABCD rule. Risk Factors and Prevention There are many risk factors that contribute to skin cancer. The most common risk factor is UV rays such as tanning lamps and also large exposure to the sun. Sunlight damages genes in skin cells leading to cancer. Our body needs vitamin D which can sometimes be safer by taking it orally. This doesn't mean that the sun will cause skin cancer in everyone. Sunscreen protects your skin whenwe are outdoors for a long period of time. For tanning beds it is best to be careful not to tan often and also to reduce exposure. Living in an area where there is sunshine all year round puts you at a higher risk of getting skin cancer, for example the state of Arizona has a higher percentage of skin cancer cases than Minnesota. Individuals who have darker skin have more melanin which helps protect against UV rays, which is good, but doesn't necessarily mean they are completely protected from skin cancer. Those who burn easily or have many moles have a greater chance of exposure to skin cancer. Gender also plays an interesting factor when it comes to who has a higher risk of acquiring BCC. Men are usually more at risk than women and are twice as likely to have SCC. Arsenic is a chemical that is usually used to make some insecticides, and people who are exposed to this are at increased risk. For example, workers who spend most of their time in the sun can be affected by BCC, SCC and melanoma. The safest way to prevent or reduce your risk of getting skin cancer is to seek shade when possible and avoid sunburn by using a sunscreen that has broad spectrum UVB and UVA with 15 SPF or higher. Examining yourself at home is also an easy way to do this using the ABCD rule. Treatment If detected early, SCCs are treatable and cause minimal harm, but if left untreated they can lead to death. SCC can spread metastasis to local lymph nodes, distant tissues and organs and can become life-threatening. Any doctor then takes a sample which is then examined and confirms whether it is cancer or not. The process to remove SCC can be done within a day if it is detected in time. Surgical procedures are the standard way to remove skin cancer tumors. Excision surgery is usually when a doctor removes the tumor by cutting around it and usually cuts off a piece of healthy skin just to make sure there are no cancer cells present to spread. An interesting way of treating skin tumors is cryosurgery. In this procedure the tumor tissue is frozen and this is done using liquid nitrogen. It is applied for a while and then, when the tumor forms a crust, it falls off easily within a few weeks. This process does not include any medications, anesthesia, or bleeding, but the patient usually feels a tingling sensation on the skin. Even though this method is not painful and seems the simplest, many doctors tend to repeat the process because they want to be sure that the tumor has been eliminated. Between these two treatments, a surgical procedure might be the most effective as the doctor removes the entire tumor and observes the process while doing so, unlike liquid nitrogen, the process takes place at home and takes about 5 weeks and may not reach always the whole tumor. tumor, so some cells may still be on the skin but not visible. Future Treatments Skin cancer is currently treated by laser surgery, surgical procedure, and even liquid nitrogen removal. Recently there have been new methods that are being implied. For example, immunotherapy, which involves making the immune system attack melanoma cells. It is currently used, but researchers are trying to develop this drug to make it more effective. Researchers believe that combining two treatment methods, such as liquid nitrogen and pembrolizumab, may be more effective and prevent the patient from developing skin cancer again. Yes they are..