Skin Cancers

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma is the least malignant and most common skin cancer. Cells of the stratum basale, altered to that they cannot form keratin, no longer honor the boundary between the epidermis and the dermis. They proliferate, invading the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. The cancer lesions occur most often on sun-exposed areas of the face and appear as shiny, dome shaped nodules that later develop a central ulcer with a pearly beaded edge. basal cell carcinoma is a relatively slow-growing, and metastasis seldom occurs before it is noticed.

Malignant Melanoma

is a cancer of the melanocytes. It accounts for only about 5 percent of skin cancers but it is often deadly. Melanoma can begin wherever there is a pigment; most such cancers appear spontaneously, but some develop from pigmented moles. It arises from sacculated DNA damage in a skin cell and usually appears as a spreading brown to black patch that metastasizes rapidly to surrounding lymph and bleed vessels. chance of survival is 50 percent and early detection helps.

ABCD

Asymmetry: the two sides of the pigmented spot or mole do not match Border Irregularity: The borders of the lesion are not smooth but exhibit indentations Color: pigmented spot contains areas of different colors Diameter: the spot is larger than 6 millimeters in diameter.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma arises from the cells of the stratum spinosum. The lesion appears as a scaly, reddened papule (small, rounded elevation) that gradually forms a shallow ulcer with a firm, raised border. This variety of skin cancer appears most often on the scalp, ears, dorsum of the hands, and lower lip. It grows rapidly and metastasizes to adjacent lymph nodes if not removed . needs radiation therapy and has a good chance of being cured if caught early