Skin Cancer, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.

Summary

This video discusses skin cancer, highlighting three main types: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. It explains their development, risk factors, symptoms, and diagnosis methods. The video also covers treatment options, emphasizing early detection for better outcomes and the importance of sun protection and avoiding artificial tanning beds.

Takeaways

• 📝 Skin cancer is a cancer type that arises from the skin, often developing in sun-exposed areas but can also form on non-sun-exposed skin.
• 📚 There are three major types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma.
• 📚 Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) includes basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, with BCC being the most common, accounting for about 80% of NMSC cases.
• 📚 Basal cell carcinoma typically grows slowly and is unlikely to spread or become life-threatening, while squamous cell carcinoma is more likely to spread.
• 📚 Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer, which can develop anywhere on the body from melanocytes and can be cured if detected early.
• 📚 Melanoma is the least frequent but can be deadly if untreated, causing 55,000 deaths worldwide in 2012.
• 📝 People with fair skin, especially those in South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, have the highest rates of melanoma.
• 📝 The primary environmental cause of skin cancer is ultraviolet radiation from sun exposure, but other factors like smoking, HPV infections, ionizing radiation, and immunosuppressive medications also contribute.
• 📝 Risk factors for skin cancer include fair skin, history of sunburns, excessive sun exposure, moles, family history of skin cancer, weakened immune system, and exposure to certain substances like arsenic.
• 📝 Symptoms of skin cancer can include painless raised areas, hard lumps, changes in moles, dark lesions on palms or soles, and scar-like lesions.
• 📝 Diagnosis involves skin examination and biopsy, and treatment options range from simple removal to more complex therapies like chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy, depending on the cancer's size, type, and stage.

Q & A

What are the three major types of skin cancer mentioned in the script?

The three major types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma.

What is the difference between non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and melanoma?

Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) includes basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, which are less likely to spread and cause death. Melanoma is more aggressive, can develop anywhere on the body, and if left untreated, can spread to other parts of the body and may lead to death.

Which type of skin cancer is the most common and what percentage of NMSC does it account for?

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common, accounting for about eighty percent of non-melanoma skin cancer.

How likely is squamous cell carcinoma to spread compared to basal cell carcinoma?

Squamous cell carcinoma is more likely to spread compared to basal cell carcinoma.

What are some risk factors for developing skin cancer other than sun exposure?

Other risk factors include smoking, tobacco use, HPV infections, ionizing radiation, use of artificial tanning beds, immunosuppressive medications, certain genetic syndromes, fair skin, a history of sunburns, excessive sun exposure, moles, living in sunny or high-altitude climates, family history of skin cancer, a weakened immune system, and exposure to certain substances like arsenic.

What are the symptoms that might indicate the presence of skin cancer?

Symptoms include a painless raised area of skin that may be shiny with blood vessels, a hard lump with a scaly top, a mole that has changed in size or color, has irregular edges, or bleeds, dark lesions on the palms, soles, fingertips, or toes, and a flat, flesh-colored or brown scar-like lesion.

What diagnostic methods are used to determine if changes on the skin are skin cancer?

A doctor will examine the skin, and if necessary, perform a skin biopsy where suspicious skin is removed and tested in a lab to determine the presence and type of skin cancer.

How are the stages of non-melanoma skin cancer defined?

Non-melanoma skin cancer stages range from stage 0, where the cancer is confined to the epidermis, to stage 4, where cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and bone or tissue, and the cancer is larger than three centimeters.

What are the treatment options for skin cancer if it is small and limited to the surface of the skin?

If the cancer is small and limited to the surface, removing the cancerous growth through a skin biopsy may be the only treatment required.

What are some additional treatment options for skin cancer beyond simple removal?

Additional treatment options include cryosurgery (freezing with liquid nitrogen), excisional surgery, Mohs surgery for larger, recurring, or hard-to-treat skin cancer, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, photodynamic therapy, and biologic immunotherapy for melanomas.

What are some biologic immunotherapy agents used for treating melanomas?

Biologic immunotherapy agents used for treating melanomas include ipilimumab, pembrolizumab, and nivolumab.