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Skin cancer signs and risk factors

Skin cancer signs and risk factors

What are the signs of skin cancer?

The severest form of skin cancer is melanoma. The disease develops out of former or newly appeared moles. A few main signs of this type skin cancer should be noticed:

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

It does not necessarily mean that spotting one of these signs announces about the disease but these features are the warning signs of skin cancer.

Not every case of skin cancer is a melanoma. It may also be a non melanoma skin cancer. 

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 a skin cancer may just be 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 first signs of skin cancer as it does not itch, hurt or is noticeable at all.

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Symptoms of a nonmelanoma skin cancer

What are the signs of skin cancer? Patients should pay attention to tumors which:

  • have changes in size, color or form,
  • differ from other skin tumors,
  • are reddish or glossy,
  • have an uneven surface,
  • look like a wound but do not heal,
  • bleed,
  • itch,
  • weep.

Patient should seek for a visit at dermatologist’s if such skin cancer signs were noticed.

Risk factors for skin cancer

How do you get skin cancer? The main causes of skin cancer appearance is an impact of a sun, genetics, chemicals used in industry. Although the sun impact is considered as the basic risk factor for skin cancer, the higher risk to fall ill have patients who:

  • have the light skin or sunburn red,
  • had a severe sunburn in childhood,
  • spend a lot of time in the sun,
  • use solariums,
  • have more than 50 moles on their body,
  • have cases of skin cancer in their family,
  • are older than 50,
  • have had the organ transplantation recently.

Even if any of these warning signs of skin cancer do not suit you, you are still able to get a skin cancer. It is vitally important to have your skin examined once in a while.

If any skin cancer warning signs are noticed, it is adviceable to visit a dermatologist for examination.