Skin cancer, the most prevalent type of cancer in humans, appears in the form of a malignant growth, develops in the outermost layer of the skin that makes it detectable clearly at start.
Generally, people with fair skin fall an easy prey to skin cancer. Other factors may involve continuous exposure to medical and industrial x-rays, habitual contact with arsenic and coal tar compounds and having any background of skin cancer in family history.
Skin cancer is generally divided into two categories; nonmelanoma and melanoma. Nonmelanoma, includes Basal cell carcinoma and Squmous cell carcinoma, which are the most common skin cancer less deadly in their nature. On the other hand, Melanoma is the worst type of skin cancer that can even take the life of the victim.
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
It is the kind of cancer that usually never penetrates to other parts of body except invade the cells in the
surroundings or sometimes, get entered into the bones underlying the affected parts. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer, generally attributed to fair skinned people and its growth takes many months or years. The symptoms appear in the form of fleshy bump, nodule or red patch that may be found on head, neck and hands. The diagnosis is done by biopsy, taking a part of the growth and examining it under microscope to check cancer cells.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)
This type of cancer is considered as the second place due to its intensity, basal cell carcinoma that has been commonly found in fair-skinned people and has a lower ratio than those having dark-skin. But contrary to (BCC), it can metastasize-to assault and surround the other parts. So, early diagnosis is essential for this type of skin cancer to cure the disease. The symptoms at early stage involve small scale like spots located on the face, ears, neck, and the lower parts of arms usually exposed to the sun, later on, in severe condition it can look like as a bump or red patch having small blood vessels, which can bleed from the centre of the affected area. Hence, it is often taken as a normal sore or wound. Punch biopsy-done with a punch blade, is used to detect SCC.
The above two kinds, if diagnosed at early stages and properly treated, the percentage to be cured can be over 95 percent.
Malignant Melanoma
The most deadly type of skin cancer known, since now is malignant melanoma. It is started in the cells which produce melanin-a dark protective pigment, produced in the sunlight. The problem starts when the melanoma cells started abnormal production of melanin resulting in the moles of tan, brown or black colors. People having a family history with melanoma are at a greater risk to develop it than those don’t have such background. Moreover, it has the same ratio to attack individuals with all skin colors.
Malignant melanoma can be appeared near a mole or in the dark spot present in the skin that gradually increases in size. Nature of this skin cancer is metastasizing, so, early detection and proper treatment can help to cure at early stages.
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