Causes

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer.
Artificial sources of UV radiation, such as sunlamps and tanning booths, can also cause skin cancer.

Some people are at higher risk than others for getting skin cancer. Factors that can put you at higher risk include:

• Fair to light complexion
• Family history of skin cancer
• Chronic exposure to the sun
• History of sunburns in childhood
• Large number of moles
• Freckles

Where you live can affect your risk for developing skin cancer. In the United States, skin cancer is more common in southern states, where the sun is stronger. Age can also be a factor. Most skin cancers appear after age 50.

Symptoms

The most common warning sign of skin cancer is a change on the skin, especially a new growth or a sore that crusts or bleeds occasionally. Not all skin cancers look the same. It is rare for skin cancer to cause pain.

Actinic keratosis, which appears as rough, scaly, red or brown patches on the skin, is known as a precancerous condition because it sometimes develops into squamous cell cancer. It usually appears on sun-exposed parts of the body, especially the ears, face, scalp, and hands. The scaly areas may be easier to feel than to see.

Types of Skin Cancer

Basal cell cancer is the most common skin cancer in the United States, accounting for more than 90 percent of all cases. It is slow growing and rarely spreads to other parts of the body. Basal cell cancers may look like pearly or waxy lumps that sometimes have depressions in the middle. As the cancer grows, the center becomes more ulcerated and looks “gnawed.”

Squamous cell cancer is often raised or lumpy with rough, scaly surfaces on a reddish base. Often the border is irregular. Squamous cell cancers occurring on sun-exposed skin uncommonly spread to other parts of the body, though it happens more often than with basal cell cancer.

Malignant melanoma may appear as a mole or freckle that changes size, color, surface, shape, or border. The faster these changes occur, the more suspicious it is. Look for an irregular border with different colors in the same mole and some black color. Most melanomas are not bumps. In the early stage, most resemble a very dark and larger-than-normal freckle. Melanomas are most often found on the back in men and on the back, thighs, and calves in women. If not detected early, malignant melanoma can spread to other areas of the body—mainly the lymph nodes, liver, lungs, and central nervous system—and can be lethal.

Treatment

Treatment for skin cancer usually involves some type of surgery to remove the cancer. In some cases, chemotherapy or radiation therapy may also be used to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing. If the cancer only involves the outer layer of skin, laser therapy may be used to remove or destroy cancer cells.

If a large cancer is removed, your doctor may perform a skin graft. In this procedure a piece of healthy skin from another part of your body is used to close the wound and reduce the amount of scarring.

Prevention

• Avoid too much sun, particularly between 10 am and 2 pm and in midsummer.
• Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. Make sure you apply
  sunscreen thoroughly to all exposed skin, so you don’t leave unprotected areas.
• Avoid sunlamps and tanning beds. They damage the skin, despite what tanning-salon owners and employees might tell you.
• Use sunscreen even on cloudy days.
• Use lip balm with the sunscreen paraaminobenzoic acid (PABA), wear UV-opaque sunglasses to protect your eyes, and be sure to apply sunscreen around eyes, ears, mouth, and any bald or thinning areas on your head.
• UV rays can penetrate through loosely woven clothing and beach umbrellas, so wear sunscreen even when using these other forms of sun protection. Also, look for the sun-protective clothing that’s now available, including shirts, pants, and hats for adults and children.

How to do a Skin Self-Exam

After your shower or bath, start by noticing where birthmarks, moles, and blemishes are and what they look like. Be sure to check your entire body, including back, scalp, buttocks, and genitals. Use a mirror to check hard-to-see areas. Check for anything new—a change in the size, texture, or color of a mole or a sore that does not heal. Do a skin self-exam once a month.