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What is skin cancer?

The skin is the largest organ in the human body. It performs many functions. Under the influence of various factors, the skin can be exposed to serious diseases such as carcinoma of the skin or skin cancer.

Types of skin cancer

In more than 90% of cases, skin cancer occurs in the form of basal cell carcinoma (basal cell carcinoma). This malignant tumor develops from the epidermis. This type of tumor is relatively harmless due to the fact that the carcinoma has not metastasized to distant tissues of the organism grows rather slowly, spreading to the surrounding tissue. Serious danger of this kind of cancer is in cases when the tumor is localized in the area of the eyes, mouth, or bones in the vicinity of the brain.

rak kozhi Another type of skin cancer is squamous cell carcinoma. It is quite an aggressive form of cancer, is able to grow quickly and actively to metastasize. It is of several types: it may look like an ulcer, plaque or node. Occurs squamous cell skin cancer is fairly rare.

Melanoma is another type of tumor formation. Occurs more often in women than in men, usually on exposed parts of the body. In most cases, this education arises from the existing body of mole or nevus. Only a specialist is able to distinguish in this case, the malignant from the benign.

Cancer of the skin develops extremely rare. The clinical picture in this form of skin cancer does not differ from the symptoms of squamous cell carcinoma. This form of the disease are also prone to active metaservice. The development of education can occur from hair follicles.

The causes of the disease

karcinoma kozhiThere are certain prerequisites for the development of skin carcinoma. Serious risk factors for the development of carcinoma is a light skin color. Also people with red hair, albinos, people with lots of moles on your body (over 50 pieces) should be more attentive to their skin. Genetic predisposition is of great importance.

Exposure to sunlight is a major risk factor. Sunburn is highly undesirable, especially for people with light skin. A weakened immune system is also a prerequisite to the beginning of the pathological processes. Artificial sources of UV radiation (Solarium) can also contribute to the development of skin carcinoma.

The presence of precancerous lesions of the skin and various birthmarks are risk factors for their owner. Especially the risk increases if the person resides in the territory with a high level of solar radiation. Especially, precautions should be after 50 years, the risk of developing tumors on the skin at this age increases.

Symptoms

Symptoms of skin carcinoma may be different. All depends on the location of education and its rate of growth. Most often, the symptoms is the presence of education on the skin with swelling. The color of the skin in this place is changed. Carcinoma can ulcerate and bleed. With concomitant infection there is pain.

In General, the patient may complain of malaise, weakness, constant fever, weight loss, loss of appetite.

Treatment

The treatment of carcinoma depends on the type of tumor, place of education, the stage of development of the disease. The choice of method of treatment is individually. It may be surgical removal of the carcinoma with surrounding tissue. It is effective in the absence of metastases.

At the moment successfully applies a combination of surgical, radiation and chemotherapeutic treatments. Possible cautery (electrocoagulation) orfreezing (cryosurgery) as methods of removal.

Recently, there are well established genetic and neutron therapy. This new treatment carcinoma which give good results.