Skin Cancer Research Paper

Skin Cancer

It is said that over 9,000 people are diagnosed each year and, as the most common form, skin cancer is a very big issue in our modern society. The most common types of skin cancer are Melanoma, Basal Cell Carcinoma, and Squamous Cell Carcinoma. As some people may know, there are many ways that that skin cancer comes to be, is prevented, treated, and eliminated. Most people may know that skin cancer is precipitated by exposure to the sun. Sometimes long overexposure to the sun’s harmful rays or it could be from buildup from many short periods of being in the sun. The mutation of the cells starts due to ultraviolet (UV) rays damaging genetic material (DNA) in our skin. But, not all skin damage is from the sun. Sometimes, using

Some treatment options include excisional surgery, electrosurgery, radiation, and topical chemotherapy, including many more. Excisional surgery is done by using a scalpel to completely remove a malignant area from the skin and sending the cancerous area to a lab to be tested. The area that is cut off is then stitched to close the wound and prevent infection. Electrosurgery is used for much smaller areas. When doing this, the growth is burned off of the skin by a curette, or a small, round, needle-like instrument. The heat used to burn off the affected area also helps to destroy tumors and prevent bleeding. Although this procedure is very effective, it is cosmetically displeasing because it will leave a deep scars where the cancer used to reside. When performing radiation treatment, x-rays are pointed toward the tumor to eradicate it. This treatment must be administered a few times a week before it will start to kill the cancer cells. Topical chemotherapy means that the cancer patient will have a very powerful drug put directly on their skin to kill cancer cells rather than other forms of chemo where the patient is given either a shot of the drug or ingests the drug. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is the most common and effective ingredient in the lotion or ointment used to kill the cancer. It is usually applied to the skin a few times a day for a couple of

Cancer Support, www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/skin-cancer/diagnosing/causes-and-risk-factors/potential-causes-of-cancer/causes-risk-factors-skin-cancer.html

“Treatment Options.” Treatment Options - SkinCancer.Org, Skin Cancer Foundation, www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/squamous-cell-carcinoma/scc-treatment-options

. “Local Treatments Other than Surgery for Basal and Squamous Cell Skin Cancers.” American Cancer Society,