Skin Cancer: Early Detection and Treatment Will Save Your Life

Skin cancer is the abnormal growth of skin cells, most often developed on skin that's been exposed to the sun. However, it can and does also occur on areas of the skin that were not sun-exposed.

There are three major types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

This is the most common form skin cancer, constituting 90% of the approximately 800,000 new cases each year. It usually appears as a fleshy bump or nodule on the head, face, neck, hands, or arms. Basal cell carcinoma has a very low rate of spreading or metastasizing, although it can go as deep as the bone. This form of skin cancer has a 95% cure rate when detected and treated early and is usually not life threatening.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

This is the second most common form of skin cancer. It usually appears as a tumor or nodule on an area that's been exposed to the sun, including the head, ears, face, lips, shoulders, back or arms. This skin cancer is generally localized and can also develop where there's been burns or scars. Some experts believe there's an inherited tendency toward this type of skin cancer. Although squamous cell carcinoma tends to be more aggressive than basal cell carcinoma, it also has a 95% cure rate when promptly treated.

Malignant Melanoma

This is the least common form of skin cancer, but it's the most aggressive and the most deadly. Malignant melanoma accounts for 75% of all skin cancer deaths, and there are approximately 60,000 new cases of this type of skin cancer each year. The mole-like tumors develop differently in men and women. In men, this skin cancer generally develops between the shoulders and hips; it develops on the arms and legs in women. Like the other two forms of skin cancer, malignant melanoma has a high cure rate if detected and treated early.

Treatments of skin cancer are varied and many, depending on your age, medical history, overall health, the extent to which the cancer has developed, how well you can tolerate specific medications and courses of treatment, and sometimes your personal preferences.