There are many types of skin cancer and they all fall into three main categories: Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Malignant Melanoma, which is the most serious. Basal Cell and Squamous Cell carcinomas are also known as nonmelanoma and they are less dangerous. All of these cancers need immediate attention from a medical provider to make sure that they don’t become life threatening. Knowing the symptoms and warning signs are important for everyone so that any skin changes are looked at by a medical professional.

Basal Cell Carcinoma is very common and accounts for almost 90% of the skin cancers reported in the United States. It is almost always treatable and curable because it grows very slowly and rarely spreads to surrounding tissues or other parts of the body. Squamous Cell Carcinoma is a little more serious than Basal Cell Carcinoma because it has a tendency to spread throughout the body. However, the spreading occurs slowly so early detection is a must. Surrounding lymph nodes are the first to be invaded by Squamous Cell Carcinoma and they are often removed to prevent further spreading of the cancerous cells.

Malignant Melanoma is a very serious skin cancer because it spreads quickly via the lymph nodes or blood and often attacks internal organs. It can be life threatening if not treated quickly and aggressively. Malignant Melanoma is a rare form of skin cancer, which is a disease that prevents cells from dividing and growing normally.

A tumor is often formed when this type of cancer invades a lesion, mole or surface of the skin. A skin tumor is considered to be benign if only a fell cell layers are involved and no invasion has occurred to the surrounding tissues. If this happens, then the tumor becomes malignant and is much more serious. However, it is important to remember that most skin cancer is benign and is usually treated successfully. Malignant Melanomas metastasize and spread to other parts of the body quickly without warning.

All of the above types of skin cancer should be taken seriously until a final diagnosis is made by a physician. Basal Cell and Squamous Cell Carcinomas are very curable and have a high success rate. On the other hand, Malignant Melanoma skin tumors can be deadly and need immediate treatment so that they have a better chance of being eliminated.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Leave a Reply