Skin Cancer Essay, Research Paper

Cancer is a word used to describe a group of diseases. Each has its own name, its own treatment, and its own chances of being cured. Each is different from the others in many ways, but every cancer, whatever itscalled or whatever part of the tiny cells that make up the human bodyare so small that they can barely see where they are located, this is adisease of the body s cells. Millions of cells are seen by lookingthrough a microscope. There are different kinds of cells, but they allmake new cells by dividing into two. This is how worn-out, old cells arereplaced with strong new ones. When a cell changes and doesn t do thejob it should do for the body, it divides into more cells like itself,then these cells keep dividing into more cells. A group of these cellsis a tumor. There are two kinds of tumors. A benign tumor is notcancer. The cells of a benign tumor can crowd out healthy cells, butthey cannot spread to other parts of the body. A malignant tumor iscancer. Like a benign tumor, it can take over other healthy cellsaround it, but it can also spread to other parts of the body. To dothis, a cell or group of cells from the tumor breaks away and moves,usually though the blood, to other parts of the body. There they divide and start tumors made of malignant cells like the ones that made up the first tumor. When this happens, it is called metastasis. Skin cancer is the most prevalent of all cancers, and it s increasingly common. About a million Americans will develop skin cancer this year.It is a disease in which cancer cells are found in the outer layers ofskin. Skin protects the body against heat, light, infection, andinjury. It also stores water, fat, and vitamin D. The skin has two main layers and several kinds of cells. Thetop layer of skin is called the epidermis. It contains three kinds ofcells: flat, scaly cells on the surface called squamous cells, roundcells called basal cells, and cells called melanocytes, which give skinits color. The inner layer of skin is called the dermis. This layer isthicker, and contains blood vessels, nerves, and sweat glands. The hairon skin also grows from tiny pockets in the dermis, called follicles. The dermis makes sweat, which helps cool the body, and oils that keepthe skin from drying out. Skin cancer is viewed as an undeclaredepidemic by dermatologists. “Skin cancer is now about as common as allother cancers combined,” says Martin A. Weinstock, M.D., Ph.D., directorof Brown University s Dermatoepidemiology Unit and Chief of Dermatologyat the Providence Veteran s Affairs Medical Center. He also saysthere s no evidence the epidemic has peaked, which means it could getworse. Skin cancer is quite curable when treated early. More thanninety percent of skin cancers are completely cured. It s also largelypreventable, simply by avoiding sun and sunlamp exposure. Sunscreen isthe most common defense against skin cancer. However, only two in fivepeople consistently use sunscreen whenever they re in the sun. Fewpeople say they sunbathe, but about one in five adults still does. There are three main types of skin cancer. Melanoma is the least commonbut most serious because this killer is responsible for three-quartersof the nearly 10,000 skin cancer deaths per year. The other two types,basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, are often referred to togetheras non-melanoma skin cancer. Basal cell cancer is by far the mostcommon skin cancer, followed by squamous cell carcinoma, which can alsobecome a killer. Between 1990 and 1989, the incidence of non-melanomaskin cancers increased sixty-five percent and melanoma twenty-onepercent. Skin cancer is also striking at younger ages than before. One-quarter of the more than 30,000 people expected to develop melanomathis year will be thirty-nine or younger. Other kinds of cancers thatmay affect the skin include cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, a cancer of thelymph system, and Kaposi s sarcoma. Melanoma is the fastest-growing type of cancer, affecting about32,000 Americans in 1993. The skin cancer is triggered by UV rays fromthe sun and is signaled by the growth or appearance of an irregularmore. If caught early, melanoma is completely curable with the mole s removal. However, the cancer can and will spread if not caught early. Developing skin cancer is at least a two-step process, involvinginitiation and promotion of malignant growth. Studies have shown that

UV harms a mechanism for repairing cell damage. Once the repair systemis impaired, cells become increasingly vulnerable to injury. SubsequentUV exposures make it worse, and can initiate malignancy. After UVexposure, the repair mechanism normally directs damaged cells to commitsuicide. That is why skin peels after a sunburn. However, previouslydamaged cells with a malfunctioning repair system escape this process. Genetic damage accumulates as normal cells die and abnormal onessurvive. It s been determined that skin does not have to be burned tobe damaged, and such damage accumulates with chronic, everyday exposure. Two types of UV radiation reach the earth, UVA and UVB. Bothcontribute to skin damage, including skin cancer. There are no “safe”UV rays. But the SPF sunscreen numbering system was devised as a guideto protect against sunburn, which is caused mostly by UVB rays. Becausesunscreens allow one to stay out in the sun longer without burning,exposure to UVA rays is increased, and many sunscreens don t protectagainst these rays. While sunscreens protect against sunburn, they don t necessarilyprevent cancer. If one uses sunscreens to spend more time in the sun,the skin could collect about the same total exposure to damagingradiation. This is why it s still a good idea to stay out of the sun atmidday and to wear protective clothing and hats. Some studies estimate that diet may be involved in forty tosixty percent of all cancers. A high fat intake increased thelikelihoodof skin cancer after exposure to UV radiation, while switching to alow-fat diet after exposure reduced the incidence of skin cancer. TheNational Academy of Sciences recommends a diet in which thirty percentor less of the calories come from fat. The National Cancer Institute,the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, and otherhealth organizations support this recommendation. Once cancer develops, early detection and treatment are the bestdefense. Those with blonde or red hair should be especially vigilant. Self-exams are recommended, and any growth, mole, or discoloration thatappears suddenly or begins to change, or any sore that appears anddoesn t heal should be brought to a doctor s attention. Characteristicsof cancerous moles are asymmetry, ragged edges, bleeding, itching orpain. Skin cancer is more common in people with light colored skin whohave spent a lot of time in the sunlight. Skin cancer can occuranywhere on the body, but it is most common in places that have beenexposed to more sunlight, such as the face, neck, hands, and arms. Skin cancer can look many different ways. The most common sign of skin cancer is a change on the skin, such as a growth or a sore that won theal. Sometimes there may be a small lump. This lump can be smooth,shiny and waxy looking, or it can be red or reddish brown. Skin cancermay also appear as a flat red spot that is rough or scaly. Not allchanges in the skin are cancer, but all changes should be brought to theattention of a doctor. For any type of skin cancer, treatment involves removing thelesion, usually in an outpatient procedure. The treatment goal is toremove or destroy the growth completely with as little damage aspossible to healthy tissue. Doctors evaluate numerous factors inplanning treatment. Considerations include type of cancer, tumor sizeand location, extent of disease, whether it s new or recurrent,potential for scarring, and the patient s overall health. Types of surgery include cryosurgery (destruction by freezing),laser surgery, and cuttrettage and electrodessication (using aspoon-like blade to scoop out the growth, followed by destruction ofsurrounding tissue with electric shock). Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. In treating skin cancer, chemotherapy is often given as a cream or lotion placed on the skin tokill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may also be taken by pill, or it may beput into the body by a needle in a vein or muscle. Chemotherapy givenin this way is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters thebloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells outsidethe skin. Biological therapy tries to get the body to fight cancer on its own. Ituses materials made in the body or in a laboratory to boost, direct, orrestore the body s natural defenses against disease. Even after successful treatment, people who have had skin cancer remainat increased risk of developing it again. Protecting their skin from UVexposure is critical in helping to prevent a recurrence. It shouldbecome a life-long habit.