Cancer is a disease that has been reported to claim millions of lives a round the globe and has many different forms. Cancer is defined as “a malignant form of tumors, which are tissue masses that arise through mutations in the genes that govern cell growth and division” (Starr, 1999, p. 213). Skin cancer is just one of the many types of cancer that affects people and most commonly in the United States. It is a disease whereby cancerous cells are found on the epidermis which is the outer layer of the skin or uncontrolled growth of skin cells. This cancer affects the skin tissues and it is the most rampant of all the cancers and it’s increasingly on the rise. It is a disease that can affect anyone that lives under the sun. It includes many types which are either classified as superficial or severe. Skin cancer is classified according to the layer it develops in.
Skin cancer occurs twice often in men than in women. The highest cases of skin cancer have been reported in Australia and South Africa. This kind of disease I common among white skinned people and is rarely reported in dark skinned people. According to cancer statistics, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer that is affecting millions of people around the globe. It has been approximated that, 40-5- percent of people at the age of 65 have or have had skin cancer.
Skin cancer is of three types: Basal cell cancer (BCC), Squamous cell carcinoma, and malignant Melanomia. To begin with, Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common of all cancers. It develops in the bottom layer of the epidermis. It is caused by patched (PTC) gene which helps in controlling the growth and development of cells. It rarely occurs in African Americans but it is mostly found in fair skinn...
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...prevented when detected at an early stage. In order to prevent any type of skin cancer, it is recommended that people avoid the sun at its peak and use sunscreen on regular basis. Any skin abnormalities should be reported to a nearby physician for early treatment and prevention. People should take care of their skin by taking precautions while outside, and wearing clothing such as hats and wear sunglasses to help lower your chances of developing skin cancer.
Works Cited
Arndt, K.A. (2010).Skin Care and Repair.Chestnut Hill, MA:Harvard Health Publications.
MacFarlane, D.F. (2009). Skin Cancer Management: A Practical Approach. New York, NY: Springer Publishers. Eggert, S., Rosen, T. & Schumack, S. (2009). Managing Skin Cancer. New York, NY: Springer
Schwartz, R.A. (2008). Skin cancer: recognition and management. Massachusetts, MA: Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
The Cancer Council NSW and NSW Health Department Skin Cancer Prevention Strategic Plan for New South Wales (2001) Gladesville NSW The Cancer Counsil New South Wales and NSW Health Department 2001
Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. The combination of the predominantly light-skinned population, tropical latitude, and cultural emphasis on out-door activities have contributed to this problem. The Australian government has taken measu...
Malignant Melanoma is a type of malignant cancer that affects the melanocytes. A melanocyte produces the pigmentation in our skin and melanin gives us the color to our skin. These cells occur in the skin and can be found in other parts of the body. It is important to realize that melanoma can begin in any part of the body that can contain a melanocyte. Melanoma is considered less common than other skin cancers. It is a cancer that can be very dangerous if not detected early. Although in most cases it is diagnosed in time and can be cured. Many people are diagnosed with this cancer and it is said that 160,000 cases are diagnosed a year. ( ). In men a common site is on their back and for a woman is on their legs.
Polsky, David, MD, and Steven Q. Wang, MD. "Skin Cancer Facts." Skincancer.org. Skin Cancer Foundation, 9 Oct. 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Basal Cell Carcinoma often abbreviated as (BCC) is the most frequently appearing form of skin cancer. They are also referred to as Basal Cell Cancer. It was discovered along the way as skin cancer was being treated as different types with no specific period. The BCCs’ are uncontrolled growths that normally arise in the skin’s basal cells. These cells lie in the deepest layer of the epidermis which is the outermost layer of the skin. BCC’s are normally caused by a combination of two things; one is cumulative UV exposure and the other is intense occasional UV exposure. The most vulnerable, according to a research done, tend to be people with fair hair, blue eyes and fair skin and this is because they tend to burn easily. The BCCs’ may first appear as a small white flesh or a colored bump that may bleed. Other normal appearances may look like open sores, red patches on the skin, pink growths, shiny bumps or scars. 80% of Basal Cell Carcinoma cases are mainly found in the head and neck that is the body parts that are mainly exposed to the sun. The nose also tends to be most vulnerable and according to a recent study done, 40% of BCC that were diagnosed on the head and neck were adjacent to the nose.
Skin cancer has been overlooked for the past few decades because the medical community has been focusing more on internal cancers. But with in exponential rise in recorded cases of skin cancer, it is grabbing attention now. Skin cancer is a serious problem and society is brushing it off so people might sport a nice tan. Even though skin cancer is not the type cancer that people see everyday or have family members develop it as often as say, breast cancer or prostate cancer, that does not make it any less of an important item to keep a look out for.
The first known use of dermatology was established in 1819 and only in the 1930’s did its practice become more widely accomplished, known and sought after. (“Dermatology” 2014) Since then it has extensively evolved and changed and been able to provide services for women and men around the world. Originally being a part of the medicine field can now be considered a division of the beauty industry due to availability of services and treatments for aesthetic, pampering purposes, rather than just originally founded for medical issues of resolving skin disorders and diseases. Dermatology being defined as ‘a branch of medicine dealing with the skin, its structure, functions and diseases’ (“Dermatology” 2014) now offers many professions one being a dermatologist, whic...
Sun shine contain ultraviolet ray which can cause the sunburn or even skin cancer. According to Cancer Council in Australia, Australia has highest incident rate of skin cancer in the world. More than 430000 Australians are diagnosed with skin cancer each year. There are approximately 60 percent of people who have got skin cancer will survive greater than five years after they diagnosis (Cancer Council Australia, 2014). In order to protect people under the sun, the sun protective behaviour is significant necessary.
Skin cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells are found in the outer layer of the human skin. This particular cancer is one of the most common cancers among the U.S. population, affecting and spreading over more than one million people a year. “Skin cancer is categorized into two separate groups being; malignant melanomas and non-melanoma cancers.” (Adam, 2013)
Basal and squamous cell skin cancer are the most common forms of skin cancer. Multiple studies have shown that these cancers are almost always connected to large amounts of sun exposure. This can come from things like outdoor sports, performing something outdoors with little coverage from clothing, and getting multiple severe sunburns. You can see signs of skin cancer inside and outside of your body. Rough, thick, dry skin patches are common symptoms, but things
Skin cancer is a disease where cancer (malignant) cells are found on the outer layer of the skin (epidermis). The three types of cells found in the epidermis are squamous cells, basal cells, and melanocytes. These cells in time grow to be cancerous. Thus, the three types of skin cancers are squamous cell, basal cell, and melanoma. Melanoma is the most deadliest and destructive type of cancer. (“Skin Cancer” infotrac.com) The number of people with melanoma has risen in Scotland from 3.5 in 1979 to 10.6 per 100,000 in 1998 for men and 7.0 to 13.1 for women. (Miller 945) Squamous cell and Basal cell skin cancer can kill up to 2,200 people a year in the United States. (Sommerfield SIRS.com) Basal cell, being the most common type of skin cancer, is the cancer that about 75 percent of the people have. (“Skin Cancer “ infotrac.com) Melanoma is mostly seen in older men but ever since tanning came in during the 1970’s, it has increased in women 60 percent around the ages 15-29 over the past three decades.(Sommerfield SIRS.com) “And basal cell and squamous cell cancers are increasing at a rate of about 5 percent per year”(Sommerfield SIRS.com).
The skin is the largest organ in the body, so it isn’t surprising that skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. Melanoma is the least common form of skin cancer, affecting 4% of all cases but causing 79% of skin cancer deaths. The average age of people diagnosed with Melanoma is between 45 and 55, although 25% of cases occur in people under 40. About 10% of all people with melanoma have a family history of melanoma. You are at increased risk of developing melanoma if there is a family history of melanoma in one or more of your first-degree relatives like a parent, child, brother or sister.
Voegeli D; British Journal of Nursing (BJN), 2010 Jul 8; 19 (13): 810, 812, 814 Care or harm: exploring essential components in skin care regimens.
Since 1979 the diagnoses of cancer have gone up nearly 20% in a generation as there is more people smoking, drinking, obesity and unfitness (theguardian website, 2011, para. 1). There has been in increase of women with the diagnosis, the diagnoses have risen up by 50% (459 per 100,00), men have risen from 20,000 to 24,000 (the guardian website, 2011, para. 2). Socioeconomic class does have an effect in some cases as cervical and lung cancers are more common in poor people while rates of breast cancer and melanoma are higher in the wealthy (ScienceDaily website, 2008, para. 1). Demographics could also have some effect as those of the wealthier group have more exposure to UV by traveling abroad for the holidays (ScienceDaily website, 2008, para. 5). In regards to smoking, deprived groups continue to smoke while the wealthier groups have quit smoking (ScienceDaily website, 2008, para. 7). Researchers have linked cancer to not only demographics, socioeconomic class but also race and
The high incidence of skin cancer in Australia is the reason for our choice of