Different Types Of Skin Cancer

The first type of skin cancer is squamous cell carcinoma. A lump or a swelling is often the first manifestation of squamous cell carcinoma. This type of skin cancer is not common, It accounts for about 2 out of 10 skin cancers. This carcinoma typically develop in areas which have been exposed to too much sun, more often than not the face and ears, neck, lips, and backs of the hands.

Squamous cell carcinomas, if left untreated, are more likely to spread into fatty tissues just beneath the skin. This can cause disfiguring and scars when treated late. They can also spread to lymph nodes (the bean-shaped collections of immune system cells) or to distant parts of the body and becomes hard to treat. But because they rarely metastasize (spread elsewhere in the body), squamous cell skin cancers are less worrisome unlike melanoma (below).

The next kind of skin cancer you should be aware of is basal cell carcinoma. Of the 3 different types of skin cancer, it is the most common. This skin cancer makes up about 7 out of 10 cases of skin cancers. Basal cell skin cancers usually begin on areas exposed to the sun, such as the head and neck.

Basal cell carcinoma was once found mostly in middle-aged or older people. But now it is also being seen in younger people. This may be because people are spending more time in the sun without protecting their skin.

If discovered quickly enough, basal cell carcinoma has effective treatment options and can usually be cured without too much difficulty. Basal cell carcinoma tends to grow slowly. It is very rare for a basal cell cancer to spread to distant parts of the body (metastasize). But if it is not treated, it can grow into nearby areas and spread into the bone or other tissues beneath the skin.

Usually, an irritated sore that bleeds is an early sign of basal cell carcinoma. However, sometimes basal cell carcinoma can be overlooked because the sore may also resemble a fresh scar.

Melanoma is widely recognized as the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Melanoma, like basal cell and squamous cell cancers, is almost always curable in its early stages. But it is much more likely than basal or squamous cell cancer to spread to other parts of the body if not caught early. At its advance stages Melanoma can become hard to treat and life threatening. It is advisable to use the ABCDE rules to check yourself for melanoma skin cancer at least once a month.

Melanoma looks like a mole or freckle. It is usually black and brown but can be multicolored. Melanomas can be found on any area of the body, but are more likely to start in certain locations. Most of the time you can find it first on the trunk, especially the back, in men and the legs and arms in women. The neck and face are other common sites as well.

While it is not the most common of the skin cancers, it causes the most deaths. It is imperative that the melanoma type of skin cancer be found and eradicated early to prevent the problems that will come with the later stages of this skin cancer.