Skin Cancer Primer

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States with over one million diagnosed annually

. Fortunately, most skin cancers are not life threatening and can be easily treated. The most dangerous type, melanoma, can be lethal and kill thousands of people every year. The key to treatment of skin cancers is prevention and early detection.

Skin cancer treatment will depend on several factors. The type of tumor, size, location, previous treatments, and patient factors all play into the type of treatment which must be undertaken. For melanoma tumors, aggressive treatment is necessary and well defined through national standards. For basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers, treatment is more reliant on the location of the tumor, size, and patient preference. Cryotherapy (freezing the cancer), topical medications which burn the tumor, and surgical excision are all options which should be discussed with the patient.

For patients with tumors in sensitive areas, Mohs micrographic surgery can be used to preserve as much normal tissue as possible. The technique was developed by Dr. Dr. Frederic E. Mohs in the early 1900's. By using a special technique, specially trained surgeons can immediately examine the removed specimen and determine if tumor is still present. This allows for removal of only the tumor itself and allows the surgeon to leave as much normal tissue as possible.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure with skin cancer. Use of appropriate sunscreens, excess sun avoidance, and tanning avoidance are good ways to help prevent skin cancers from forming. These tumors don't generally appear overnight and are the result of a lifetime's worth of sun exposure and sometimes sun abuse.

A family or personal history of skin cancer and significant sun exposure warrant yearly head to toe skin examinations by a primary care physician or dermatologist. The sooner is a skin cancer is diagnosed and treated, the better the cosmetic and medical prognosis can be.

by: D.J. Verret, MD

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