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Education >> Skin Growths / Neoplasms
Skin Growths / Neoplasms
Topics: Actinic Keratoses | Atypical
Nevus | Basal Cell Carcinoma | Malignant
Melanoma | Moles | Seborrheic
Keratoses | Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Info:
Actinic keratoses (AKs) are considered the earliest stage in
the development of skin cancer. They are common lesions of the
epidermis (outermost layer of the skin), and are caused by long-term
exposure to sunlight. The most significant predisposing factor
to AKs is fair skin and long-term sun exposure.
Symptoms: The typical AK lesion is
a dry, scaly, and rough skin-colored to reddish-brown "bump"
on the skin. Sometimes the skin cells making up an AK lesion
undergo abnormal growth and become a "cutaneous horn."
Prevention: You should begin early
in life by protecting your skin against sun damage. However,
it is never to late to initiate prevention of new actinic keratosis
lesions in adulthood.
Treatment: The basic types of treatment
for actinic keratoses are cryosurgery, surgical removal and
biopsy, topical chemotherapy, and photodynamic therapy.
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Info:
Atypical Nevus is a benign growth that may share some of the
clinical or microscopic features of the melanoma, but is not
a melanoma or any other form of cancer. However, the presence
of atypical nevi may increase the risk of developing a melanoma,
or be a marker for someone who is at risk of developing melanoma.
Atypical Nevus can occur anywhere on the body, and usually begin
to appear at puberty. They may be more common is sun-exposed
areas, the back, and the legs.
Symptoms: By definition, atypical
nevi can have a variable apperance. They often show these many
different features. Asymmetrical (one portion larger than the
other). Tends to have an irregular border which can fade imperceptibly
into the surrounding skin. Variably colored (typically with
shades of tan, brown, black and red). Large diameter greater
than 6 mm. Atypical Nevus may be slightly raised (elevated).
All of these symptoms have characteristic microscopic features
found on a skin biopsy.
Prevention: You should begin early
in life by protecting your skin against sun damage.
Ultraviolet lieght avoidance is important to help prevent development
of melanoma. Tanning parlors should be shunned, and wide brimmed
hats should be worn year round along with protective clothing.
All of these precautions can be important steps to preventing
melanoma in all patients.
Other: Familial Atypical Mole Syndrome
(FAMS). A person diagnosed is at significantly increased risk
of developing melanoma. Both the number of nevi and number of
family members with melanoma independently increase the risk
of developing melanoma.
Risk: Familial Atypical Mole Syndrome
(FAMS). A first-degree (e.g., parent, sibling, or child) or
a second-degree (e.g., grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle)
relative with malignant melanoma. A large number of nevi, often
more than 50, some of which are atypical nevi. Nevi that demonstrate
certain microscopic features.
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Info:
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of cancer worldwide.
In the vast majority of cases, it is thought to be caused
by exposure to the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun.
Symptoms: Basal cell cancer most
often appears on sun-exposed areas such as the face, scalp,
ears, chest, back and legs. These tumors can have several
different forms. The most common appearance of basal cell
cancer is that of a small dome-shaped bump that has a pearly
white color. Blood vessels may be seen on the surface. Basal
cell can also appear as a pimple-like growth that heals, only
to come back again and again.
Prevention: Because basal cell cancer
is caused by ultraviolet radiation from the sun in the vast
majority of cases, proper sun protection may help to prevent
the development of further basal cell cancers. 85% of lifetime
sun exposure is acquired in childhood by age 18, careful sun
protection in children may effectively prevent basal cell
cancer later in life.
Treatment: Basal cell cancer should
be treated promptly by your dermatologist with dermatologic
surgical techniques. Some people wonder whether it is worth
treating basal cell cancer at all since it doesn't metastasize
or travel in the bloodstream to other organs. It is important
to remember that basal cell cancer is in fact a cancer, and
will continue to grow locally unless treated.
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Info:
Melanoma is a type of cancer that begins in the skin. It is
completely curable when detected early, but can be fatal if
allowed to progress and spread. Almost always, melanoma begins
on the surface of the skin where it is easily treated. However
if given time to grow, it can eventually grow down into the
skin, ultimately reach the blood and lymphatic vessels and
spread around the body, causing a life-threatening illness.
Therefore, the goal is to detect melanoma early, when it is
still on the surface of the skin.
Causes: We are not certain how all
cases of melanoma develop; however it is clear that excessive
sun exposure, especially severe blistering sunburns during
childhood, can also promote melanoma development. There is
also evidence that ultraviolet radiation used in indoor tanning
equiptment may also cause melanoma.
Symptoms: Melanoma can occur anywhere
on the skin, even in places not directly exposed to sun. However,
it is most common on the backs of men and the legs of women.
Melanoma is usually brown or black colored, but sometimes
though rare, may be red, skin colored, or white. Melanoma
may also arise from a pre-existing mole, or appear on previously
normal appearing skin. Melanomas slowly get larger; therefore,
growing, changing, or irregular lesions should arouse suspicion.
Treatment: The best treatment is
early detection. A quick look from the trained eye of a dermatologist
can confirm whether or not a lesion is suspicious for melanoma.
If so, the next step is to perform a biopsy. The area is made
numb, and a portion, or the entire lesion is removed for examination
under the microscope. This simple, quick procedure is performed
in the dermatologist's office. Treatment for melanoma begins
with the dermatologic surgical removal of the malanoma and
some normal appearing skin around the growth. Removal of the
normal appearing skin is known as taking margins, and is done
to be sure no melanoma is left behind. A person's outcome
depends on how deep the melanoma is in the skin.
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Info:
Everyone has moles, sometimes 40 or more. Most people think
of a mole as a dark brown spot, but moles have a wide range
of appearance. Recognizing the early warning signs of malignant
melanoma is important. The majority of moles and other blemishes
are benign (not cancer). They will never be a threat to the
health of the person who has them. Spots or blemishes that warrant
medical concern are those that do something out of the ordinary
- those that act differently from other existing moles. This
includes any spot that changes size, shape, or color, or one
that bleeds, itches, becomes painful, or first appears when
a person is past twenty.
Types: Recent studies have shown that
certain types of moles have a higher-than-average risk of becoming
cancerous. Some may develop into a form of skin cancer known
as malignant melanoma. Sunburns may increase the risk of melanoma.
People with many more moles than average (greater than 100)
are also more at risk for melanoma.
Symptoms: Remember the ABCD's of melanoma
when examining your moles. A - stands for asymmetry, when one
half of the mole doesn't match the other half. B - stands for
border, when the border or edges of the mole are ragged, blurred
or irregular. C - stands for color, when the color of the mole
is not the same throughout or if it has shades of tan, brown,
black, red, white, or blue. D - stands for diameter, when the
diameter of a mole is larger than 6mm, about the size of a pencil
eraser. If a mole displays any of these signs, it should be
checked promptly by a dermatologist.
Treatment: Occasionally a mole will
become a cancerous growth. Therefore it's best to get medical
advice if you notice a mole that does not follow the normal
pattern. The dermatologist may study a sample of the mole under
a microscope to determine an accurate diagnosis.
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Info:
Seborrheic dermatitis is a common skin disorder that can be
easily treated.
Symptoms: This condition is a red,
scaly, itchy rash most commonly seen on the scalp, sides of
the nose, eyebrows, eyelids, skin behind the ears, and middle
of the chest. Other areas, such as the navel (belly button),
buttocks, skin folds under the arms, auxillary regions, breasts,
and groin, may also be involved.
Prevention: There is no way to prevent
or cure seborrheic dermatitis. However, it can be controlled
with treatment.
Treatment: Gentle shampooing with
a mild shampoo is helpful for infants with cradle cap. Mild
corticosteroid creams and lotions, or anti-fungal topicals such
as ciclopirox or ketoconazole, may be also applied to the affected
areas of skin. Adult patients may need to use a medicated shampoo
and a stronger corticosteroid preparation. Non-prescription
shampoos containing tar, zinc, pyrithione,
selenium sulfide, ketoconazole, and/or
salicylic acid may be recommended by a dermatologist,
or a prescription shampoo, cream gen, or foam may be given.
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Info:
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common cancer
of the skin. Squamous cell carninoma is a tumor that arises
in the outer layer of the skin (the epithelium). More than 250,000
new SCC's are diagnosed every year in the U.S. Middle-aged and
elderly persons, especially those with fair complexions and
frequent sun exposure, are most likely to be affected.
Symptoms: A squamous cell carcinoma
generally appears as a crusted or scaly area of the skin, with
a red, inflamed base. Squamous cell carcinoma can present as
a growing tumor, a non-healing ulcer, or just a crust. Any worrisome
skin lesions, especially those that are not healing, are growing,
bleeding, or changing in appearance, should be evaluated by
a dermatologist. Squamous cell carcinoma are common in sun-exposed
areas like the face, neck, and arms. The scalp, backs of hands,
and ears are especially common. However, SCC can occur anywhere
on the body, even on the lips, inside the mouth, and onthe genitalia.
Risk: Usually these skin cancers are
locally destructive. If left untreated, squamous cell carcinoma
can destroy much of the tissue surrounding the tumor and may
result in the loss of a nose or ear. In aggressive types of
squamous cell carcinoma, especially those on the lips and ears,
or those that are left untreated, the tumor can spread to the
lymph nodes and other organs, resulting in approximately 2,500
deaths each year in the United States.
Treatment: Dermatologists use a variety
of different surgical treatment options depending on location
of the tumor, size of the tumor, microscopic characteristics
of the tumor, health of the patient, and other factors. Most
treatment options are relatively minor office-based procedures
that require onlya local anesthesia. Surgical excision to remove
the entire cancer is the most commonly used treatment option.
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