Things to Know About Skin Cancer
Below is brief information about skin cancer that we have prepared for you. If you are a patient of ours with skin cancer or if you suspect that you have skin cancer, we think that the following 20 items will enlighten you. However, you should get detailed information about the diagnosis and treatment process from your Plastic Surgery Specialist.
1) The most common type of cancer in society is “skin cancer”. It is a cancer that is usually diagnosed early because it occurs in visible areas.
2) The risk of skin cancer has increased due to the thinning of the ozone layer. Patients with fair skin and freckles, those with a family history of skin cancer, people who are exposed to excessive amounts of sun, patients with chronic wounds such as osteomyelitis, patients receiving radiation therapy, and people who have been exposed to chemicals such as arsenic or pitch for a long time are at risk.
3) To protect against skin cancer, it is important to spend less time under the sun, to use sun-protective creams correctly in the summer months, and to regularly examine body moles and suspected lesions with a dermatoscope.
4) Scabs or wounds on the skin that have not healed within 1 month are important. Skin cancer should be suspected.
5) Sometimes skin cancer can develop from a “mole” or keratosis (thickening of the skin) that has been on the skin for a long time.
6) If a “mole” has started to grow in the last few months, its borders have become irregular, its color has changed, its swelling from the skin has increased, or a wound has opened on it, it may mean that this “mole” has turned into cancer.
7) Definitive diagnosis of skin cancer; Surgical removal of part or all of the suspected lesion It is determined by examining the sample taken under a microscope by a pathologist.
8) There are many types of skin cancer, but 3 of them constitute 99% of all skin cancers. We; For physicians dealing with the treatment of skin cancers, the type of skin cancer found in the patient is very important. In the treatment of one type of skin cancer, the patient regains his health as a result of only removing the lesion by surgery, while in another type of skin cancer, the patient may be at risk of life even if the lesion is removed by surgery and additional treatments are applied.
9) In the treatment of all types of skin cancer, the cancer can be removed by surgery. It usually needs to be removed. In some cases, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy or other additional treatments may be needed.
10) The most common type of skin cancer and the one with the best response to treatment is “Basal Cell Cancer”. Basal cell cancer rarely recurs if operated on. It is not a cancer that spreads to other parts of the body. It has a structure that deepens and grows in its location if it is left untreated or if treatment is started late. Its progress is slow and sometimes it reaches twice its size within a long period of time, such as 5-6 years.
11) The risk of basal cell skin cancer increases with age. It is most commonly observed between the ages of 60-80.
12) Complete removal of basal cell cancer with surgery is usually sufficient for treatment.
13) The second most common skin cancer is “Squamous Cell Skin Cancer”. Symptoms may include lesions that bleed, grow, change their appearance, and wounds that do not heal fully. Wounds on the lower lip and ears that last longer than 4 weeks should be suspected as this type of cancer.
14) There is a risk of rapid spread of squamous cell cancer. It needs to be given a little more importance than it is. There is a risk of spread, especially to regional lymph nodes.
15) Complete removal of squamous cell cancer by surgery is required for treatment. Since this type of cancer can spread to the lymph nodes, in some cases regional lymph nodes may need to be removed surgically. In some cases, radiation therapy may be required.
16) Malignant melanoma is the rarest and most malignant skin cancer compared to other skin cancers. Early diagnosis and treatment is life-saving in this cancer.
17) Patients who suffered severe sunburns in childhood are at risk. Chronic sun damage is also effective in the development of malignantmelanoma.< br /> 18) People with blue or green eyes, people with light skin color, people with blond and red hair, people prone to freckles, people who develop sunburn without tanning have a higher risk of developing malignantmelanoma than other individuals.
19) In addition to surgical removal of the cancer in the treatment of malignant melanoma, in some cases it may be necessary to surgically remove the regional lymph nodes. Additionally, immunotherapy, chemotherapy or radiotherapy may benefit.
20) Finally; Examine your skin regularly. If you have a suspicious lesion, consult your Plastic Surgery Specialist.
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