Tuesday, January 15, 2008

How to Detect Skin Cancers

Introduction

The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Detecting skin cancer symptoms early is imperative to successful treatment and healing.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You'll Need

  • As noted in text

Steps

1

Step One

Skin cancer symptoms vary, depending on which form of cancer. Frequent, prolonged exposure to sunlight may increase risks of certain skin cancers.
2

Step Two

What to look for:
Symptoms of basal cell carcinoma are:
-Shiny, pale, waxy lump on face, ears, neck.
-Flat, brown (or flesh-colored) spot on back or chest.
Basal Cell Carcinomas are the most common form of skin cancer, and is easily treated, and is not apt to spread.

Symptoms of squamous cell carcinoma are:
-Scaly, crusted, flat spot on face, neck, ears, hands, arms.
-Firm, red lump on face, lips, ears, neck, arms, hands.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma is fairly easy to treat if detected early, and it is more apt to spreading.
3

Step Three

Symptoms of melanoma are:
-Moles that change color, size or texture, or bleeds; anywhere on body.
-Rounded, firm, shiny lumps; anywhere on body.
-Dark lesions on feet (soles), hands (palms), toes, fingers, mucous membranes (mouth, nose, anus, vagina).
-Large, speckled, brown lesion anywhere on body
-Small, irregular bordered spot with blue or black/blue, white or red spots on trunk or limbs.
Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer, and is responsible for most skin cancer deaths.
4

Step Four

Other (rare) forms of skin cancers are Karposi sarcoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, and Sebaceous gland carcinoma.

As with all medical symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments, only trained and certified professionals can accurately assess individual situations.

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