Skin Cancer: A Case Study

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Cancer-A various amount of diseases that occurs when the body’s cells divide uncontrollably and spread around different parts of the body (National Cancer Institute).
Biopsy-A medical procedure that is the only way to make a cancer diagnosis for most cancers. The doctor takes a small amount of tissue from the suspected area to examine and determine if it is indeed cancer (Cancer.Net, Biopsy).
Tumor-An abnormal growth of cells that turn into a mass. It can be benign or malignant (Johns Hopkins University).
Malignant Melanoma-The most dangerous kind of skin cancer. This takes place when skin cells form mutations (most of the time due to UV exposure) and the cells multiply at a very fast pace and form cancerous tumors in the basal layer of the epidermis (Skin Cancer Foundation).
Stage 0 of …show more content…

Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays, such as x-rays, to kill the malignant cells and reduce the size of the tumor(s). There are two ways that the body can receive radiation therapy. One way is through external radiation, which is like getting an x-ray done. The second way is internal radiation, in which they put radioactive material right into the tumor. Radiation therapy does not hurt in itself, but the tissue damage from the radiation does cause some side effects (American Cancer Society, Different Types of Treatment). This treatment would also be a good way to reduce melanomas if all the other treatments have failed, most of the time radiation and chemotherapy are taken together. Based on what I have researched about melanoma, I believe that Bill should go under surgery. I believe that should be the first choice in all skin cancers if it is available to them. With surgery, the patient can just remove the tumor and be done with it most of the time. Sometimes, after surgery, the patients have to go through a short period of chemotherapy and/or radiation (depending on the type of

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