How to detect skin cancer?
There are two main categories of skin cancer that have unique characteristics – melanoma and a nonmelanoma skin cancer.
Melanoma first of all has an impact on pigmentation and appears after cells producing pigment become cancerous. Therefore, how do you know you have a skin cancer?
A (asymmetric) – asymmetric moles;
B (borders) – moles having anomalous borders;
C (colors) – moles of various colors;
D (diameter) – moles greater than 6mm in size;
E (evolution) – moles that tend to enlarge quickly.
The first and the only step of detecting skin cancer is to check every mole or unrecognized spot on your body. If any of these symptoms are noticed, patient should seek for a visit at dermatologist’s.
As melanoma so a nonmelanoma skin cancer is mostly probable for light-skinned people. Basal cell carcinoma (basalioma) develops out of deepest skin epidermis basal cells, also may spread to other body parts. First sign of such skin cancer may be just a small knot of skin color (although it may also appear as a dark knot) that appears on face. Eventually it begins to spread to other body parts and might remind an eczema – reddish, flatty plate, that usually appears in the areas of waist, breast, limbs. Patients usually ignore early signs of skin cancer as it does not itch, hurt or is noticeable at all.
Pre cancer skin
Precancerous signs are not considered as a cancer but they warn about a probable disease. The most known precancerous disease is actinic keratosis. It shows up as reddish itchy single or multiple rough spots smaller than 1cm in diameter. These patches usually disappear but only to reappear later again. The pre cancer skin is usually diagnosed for elder people but newest research shows that the disease occurs to younger patients as well.
After reading this article you should already know how to identify skin cancer. Remember, detecting skin cancer as soon as possible makes the chances of recovery higher.
