Signs of skin cancer
Skin is the protective layer of the body. It is made up of three layers namely:
Epidermis: This is the topmost and the thinnest layer which provides the protective lining. This also contains the melanocytes that produce melanin responsible for the color of the skin. The squamous cells are present just below the epidermis and the basal cells responsible for productoion of new cells is at the bottom of the epidermis.
The dermis: This consists of a network of cells that is responsible for the elasticity of the skin.
The subcutis: This consists of the fat tissues.
How skin cancer develops
The growth of the cells of the epidermis is controlled genetically and new cells are produced which push the old cells up and they are later removed. But if the DNA (genetic material) goes wrong then it can result in overgrowth of the cells, which results in cancer cells. The damage to the cells is usually caused as a result of the UV rays. These rays cause harmful changes in the skin cells leading to skin cancer either squamous or basal cell cancers or melanoma. Hereditary causes can also play a major role in development of skin cancer.
Where does skin cancer appear
Skin cancer is usually seen to develop on places like face, scalp, neck, lips, hands, ears, chest and arms and at times even on legs especially in women. At times it can also appear in area that are rarely exposed to light like genital areas, palms and even spaces between toes. Such type of cancer can either appear suddenly or can even develop slowly. The appearance depends on the type of skin cancer that occurs.
Skin cancer can either be malignant melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancer. The non-melanoma skin cancer in usually treatable and is seen mostly in older people on areas exposed to the sun. The malignant melanoma is the more serious type of skin cancer that can affect youngsters but the chances of having this can increase with age.
The signs and symptoms of skin cancer:
The basal cell cancer: This is the most common type of skin cancer that occurs in almost 90% of the skin cancer cases. This is also one of the cancers that can be treated most easily and is the possibly the least to spread. The basal cell cancer usually is seen as a:
Waxy or pearly lump on the neck, face or ears
Brown scar or fresh-colored flat lesion like on the back or the chest.
The squamous cell cancer: If this type of skin cancer is detected early then it can easily be treated. However this type is likely to spread as compared to basal cell cancer. In most of the cases the squamous cell cancer is seen as:
A hard red colored nodule on the neck, face, hands, ears or arms.
A flat lesion with a crusted or scaly surface on the ears, face, neck, arms or hands.
Melanoma: This is type of skin cancer that is responsible for most of deaths caused by skin cancer and is the most serious type of cancer. Melanoma can form in either normal skin or in an already existing mole that can become malignant. Moles can appear anywhere in the body however, they are usually seen in the upper back or on the face. Some of the signs of melanoma are mentioned below:
A simple mole that is located on your body that changes its size, shape, feel, color or bleeds.
Any large brownish colored spot that has dark speckles and is located anywhere on the body.
A shiny dome-shaped firm bump located anywhere on the body.
Any type of small lesion that has an irregular border and has white, red, blue or blue-black spots located on the limbs or the trunk.
Any type of dark lesion that is located on the palms, toes, soles, and fingertips or on the mucous membrane in the anus, nose, vagina or mouth.
The signs for other types of skin cancer that are less common are mentioned below:
Merkel cell carcinoma: This is a rare type of cancer in which shiny nodules appear just below or on the skin and the hair follicles. The nodules can be of different sizes ranging from 1-2 inches. They can be blue, pink or red in color and are usually seen on the neck, legs and arms and other areas that are exposed to the sun. This type of skin cancer spreads rapidly to the other body parts.
Kaposi\'s Sarcoma: This is another rare type of skin cancer which spreads in the blood vessels of the skin and results in purple or red patches on the mucous membrane or the skin. If it appears it can be a serious type of skin cancer. It is usually bound to occur in people who have a weak immune system like in people who have AIDS and who are taking medicines to suppress their natural immunity or those who have had an organ transplant.
Sebaceous Gland Carcinoma: This is the most rare type of cancer that appears in the oils glands of the skin. They usually appear as painless, hard nodules that can appear anywhere but usually occur on the eyelid but are usually mistaken for benign conditions.
Precancerous skin lesions like actinic keratosis can also form into squamous cell skin cancer. These are seen as scaly, rough, dark-pink or brown patches. They usually appear on the face, lower arms, ears and hands of particularly on the fair skin people who have been adversely affected by sunrays.
If you notice any change in your skin then you should consult a dermatologist or a doctor. Not all changes on your skin can be cancerous in nature. However, you should keep checking your skin for any unusual changes.
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