Coronary Heart DiseaseSkin CancerObesity |
Skin Cancer What is it? Skin cancer is a lifestyle disease that obviously affects the skin. The disease is in the body’s skins cells and is usually caused by damage to the skin from too much UV radiation. The damaged cells can mutate and a cancer forms. There are three main types of skin cancer: melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Melanoma is the most dangerous from in skin cancer as it is harder to treat and results in more deaths than the other two. Skin cancer is a lifestyle disease because it is caused by a person’s way of living and is therefore preventable. It is highly associated with how much time a person spends in the sun and whether or not they are taking the necessary precautions for protection against the UV radiation. Impacts Skin cancer has many impacts that vary due to the seriousness of each individual cancer and the treatment of the cancer. Many of the impacts also happen before the cancer just from the exposure to the sun. Some common effects on the body are premature aging of the skin, moles and scarring on the body. Impacts from skin cancer treatment vary from patient to patient but it is not uncommon to hear of fatigue, vomiting and loss of hair. In some more serious cases of skin cancer, patients have had to lose chunks or whole parts of their body such as their nose in order to remove the cancer. In some serious cases, if the cancer was not detected early enough and cannot be fully removed, it can result in death. Signs and Symptoms Signs and symptoms of skin cancer can be different depending on which type it is. The most common sign is of course a change in your skin. Basal Cell Carcinoma: this is the most common form of skin cancer and mostly appears on areas of skin that receive most sunlight such as the face. Common signs and symptoms are as follows.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma: this form of skin is also very common but is more deadly. It also not only caused by UV radiation from the sun but also from things such as too much exposure to radiation such as X-rays, exposure to strong chemicals or badly burned skin. Some common symptoms are:
Melanoma: this skin cancer is the deadliest of all and results in many more deaths than the other two. It is harder to be treated but if detected early, it is curable. A melanoma often grows in an old mole or takes on the form of a new one. It is for this reason that it is very important to know where you have moles on your body. Melanomas can often be detected through the following signs:
Who is at Risk?
Everyone, if not taking the right precautions, is at risk of skin cancer but there are many factors that determine who’s at a higher risk than others. Family history, skin type, time outdoors and more are all factors increasing or decreasing someone’s risk of skin cancer. Below are some brief descriptions for only some of the factors involved.
Probably one of the most important factors, your skin type can play a major role in determining how high your risk of developing skin cancer is. Some people have skin types that are more sensitive to UV radiation and therefore burn easier, increasing their chance of skin cancer. Below is a chart that outlines who is more at risk depending on their skin type.
Treatment Once a skin cancer has been diagnosed (either through physical examination or biopsy) there are a range of treatments available that a person can undergo to remove it. A doctor will take things such as a person’s age, health, the type and size of the cancer and where it located into consideration in order to determine the best treatment option for the patient. Available treatments include:
Social Impacts Skin cancer can have a number of social effects on a person due to things such as tiredness or embarrassment. The following are some of the many impacts.
Psychological Impacts Not only does skin cancer cause social impacts, there are also numerous psychological effects such as the following.
Prevention Skin cancer, seeing as it is a lifestyle disease, is very easily prevented by taking a few small, simple steps. The most common and well-known saying for preventing the cancer is slip, slop, slap, seek and slide. Slip on sun-protective clothing, meaning clothing that will cover as much skin as possible. Slop on some sun screen. It is recommended to use SPF30+ sunscreen and to apply it 20 minutes before going outside and then reapplying every two hours. It is also said that at least a teaspoon of sunscreen is need for each limb (front and back) and half a teaspoon for the face, neck and ears. Slap on a hat, either a broad-brimmed hat or a legionnaire to protect you neck, head, face and ears. Seek shade, especially during the midday hours. Slide on some sunglasses that block as much of the UV rays as possible. The above actions are very easy and simple to follow and when done on a regular basis, these precautions are very effective when combined. If everyone took the small amount of time to follow them, the high number of skin cancer cases would drop dramatically. Cancer Council Australia Cancer Council Australia is a national organisation set up to try and reduce the impact of cancer. They take on and fund cancer research, prevent and control cancer and provide cancer patients with information and support. They have doctors and other health professionals to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of cancers and the have a patient support that offers a network of cancer support groups, services and programs that all aim to improve the lives of cancer patients and their families. This organisation can be contacted in number of ways:
Information by Kaili Matthews |