The signs of skin cancer, the symptoms of skin cancer, checking moles on the skin and treating skin cancer are discussed by Dr Martin Wade, Skin Cancer Expert from The London Skin and Hair Clinic, in this weeks article.
In the middle of winter, when the days are short, grey and cold, not many of us are thinking about the sun. However now may be a good time to get your skin checked for any unusual moles or lesions that are changing shape, size or colour (skin cancer screening). With the advent of budget airlines more and more of us are travelling abroad, and have swapped the British Riviera for hotter climates such as Spain. Unfortunately the Brits have not grown up with sun-sense education and awareness, and as a result many individuals are getting excessive sun exposure. Separately, the popularity of tanning has resulted in a high use of sun-beds in this country, which also puts the skin at risk of skin cancer.
Exposure to the sun over time causes damage to the skin, resulting in premature ageing of the skin and increasing the risk of melanoma, sunspots and other forms of skin cancer. It is a myth that one needs to have experienced sunburn in order to develop a melanoma or skin cancer.
The medical terms for skin cancer include non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), melanoma and actinic keratoses. Common terms include skin cancer, rodent ulcer, sunspots, brown spots, freckles, melanoma and age spots.
NMSC presents as either a skin coloured lump, a scaling lesion, an erosion that will not heal or an ulcerated lesion. Any such lesion requires immediate assessment by a medical practitioner. Dermatologists are specifically trained to diagnose such lesions by looking at them and if there is any doubt by performing a biopsy.
Prevention is the best cure. Dermatologists are qualified to detect the clinical signs of moles which may have developed into a melanoma or look suspicious. At present there is no system better than the expertly trained human eye at clinically diagnosing melanoma.
A medical photographic service can be used to photograph moles as a baseline to allow comparison in the future if you think one of your moles has changed.
Once your skin has been assessed, our Dermatologist will then tell you of the most appropriate skin surveillance follow-up programme tailored to your skin type and clinical risk. Sun protection and avoidance advice will be given as well as discussing the role of sunblocks.
Treatment options available may include the use of special creams to kill the cancer cells, scraping the lesion away to the appropriate depth, cutting the lesion out, freezing the lesion with liquid nitrogen, or photodynamic therapy or occasionally radiotherapy. The choice of treatment will depend on the tumour type and the personal preference of the patient.
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Find out more about skin cancer and general dermatology by visiting the websites of Dr Martin Wade and The London Skin and Hair Clinic.
This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to be used for self-diagnosis and treatment. An accurate diagnosis can only be determined through a face to face consultation with a qualified Dermatologist.
