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What is Skin Cancer?

 

Skin cancer is one of the most common form of cancer in Hong Kong. The two most common types are basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer. They usually form on the head, face, neck, hands and arms. Another type of skin cancer, melanoma, is more dangerous but less common.

 

 

Anyone can get skin cancer, but it is more common with the following factors:

 

- Sunlight which is the source of UV that is the most important risk factor for any type of skin cancer to cause skin damage.

 

- Sunlamps and tanning booths which are the sources of UV that the young people like to have them in the beauty salon.

 

- High amount of sun exposure during your lifetime.

 

- People who live proximity to Equator as the sun is stronger.


- People who have light colour of skin, eyes and hair, or many freckles.


- People who have the personal or family history of skin cancer.

 

- Medical conditions or medicines (such as some antibiotics, hormones, or antidepressants) that make the skin more sensitive to the sun.

 

 


 

"Treatment is more likely to work well when cancer is found early."　


If there is any suspicious skin markings and changes in the way of your skin looks, you should have your doctor check as soon as possible. If you are not treated, some types of skin cancer cells can spread to another tissues and organs.

 

 

Types of Skin Cancer :

1.) Basal cell carcinoma (BCC)


BCC is the most common form of skin cancer in the world,
making up 70-85% of all skin cancers. Fortunately, very few
people actually die from this type of skin cancer.

 

It usually occurs in people who over 40 years of age but it
can also develop in younger people. Most BCCs develop on areas exposed to the sun such as the head, neck and upper body. Some appear on the arms and legs. BCCs can be red, pale or pearly in colour, often as a small nodule or a non-healing sore.

 

They tend to grow slowly, it don't spread through to other parts of the body and invade other organs. Eventually they ulcerate and can start growing into the surrounding skin.  If left long enough, they can grow deeply and be very disfiguring, also damage nearby tissue. The treatment may become more difficult at that time and the possibility of a recurrence of skin cancer will be increased.

 

 

 


2.) Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)


SCC is the second commonest skin cancer and account for
about 15-20% of cases. It occurs mostly in people who age over 50, and usually appears on the head, neck hands and forearms. Less often, it can also develop on the upper body or the legs. SCC may appear as thickened red, scaly spots, which later may bleed easily or be tender to touch.

 

SCC tend to grow quickly and which faster than BCC, it is potentially more dangerous as they can spread to other parts of the body. SCC on the scalp, lip or ear have the tendancy to behave aggressively and are at increased risk of spreading.

 

Bowen's Disease is another form of pre-invasive SCC.  It is classified as a type of skin cancer but does not have the potential to spread to other parts of the body unless it becomes invasive. It often occurs on the lower legs and can often be treated non-surgically.

 

 

 


3.) Melanoma


Melanoma is the least common skin cancer which accounts
for about 5% ofcases, but it is one of the deadliest cancers.
It has the potential to spread into the body and appear in
the lymph nodes, liver, brain, bones, lungs and other parts
of the body.  The chance of cure depends entirely on the
stage at which the melanoma is diagnosed. It can also be treated successfully when diagnosed early.

 

The first signal of melanoma is usually the appearance of a new spot, or a change in an existing freckle or mole. The changing can be in size, shape or colour and is normally noticed over several weeks or months rather than days. It often has an irregular edge or surface.

 

There are five types of Melanoma:

- Superficial spreading melanoma is most common type and most amendable to simple excision.

  • - Nodular melanoma is the most dangerous as they are often very thick when diagnosed.

  • - Lentigo maligna melanoma is most commonly found in elderly patients on the face or neck.

  • - Melanoma is the earliest form of melanoma and is totally curable with complete excision.

  • - Acral melanoma is on the foot or hand, it is uncommon and often goes unnoticed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Causes :


Sun exposure is the leading cause of skin cancer. Scientists now know that exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays damages DNA in the skin. The body can usually repair this damage before gene mutations occur and cancer develops. When a person's body cannot repair the damaged DNA, which can occur with cumulative sun exposure and cancer develops. 

In some cases, skin cancer is an inherited condition. Between 5% and 10% of melanomas develop in people with a family history.