Skin Cancer Management Archives - Page 2 of 2

Skin cancer is caused by abnormal skin cell growth. It’s one of the most common cancers. Although it’s impossible to prevent all incidents of skin cancer, the good news is that regular skin checks can reduce your likelihood of developing incurable skin cancer. If you’re based in Sydney, here’s everything you need to know about the disease and the importance of skin cancer checks.

Skin Cancer in Australia Statistics

Skin cancer is a major problem in Australia, and the country has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. The reality is that at least 2 in 3 Australians will develop skin cancer before they’re 70 years old, and diagnosis rates are still rising in the 60+ demographic. It’s the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the country, and the cost of treating it sits at around A$1 billion per year.

What Causes Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is common in Australia because of the climate. In the Australian summer, skin can burn in as little as 10 minutes, and sunburn is a primary risk factor for developing melanoma skin cancer. You’re at higher risk of developing skin cancer anywhere in Australia, including Sydney, if you:

Use sunbeds or a solarium
Have a large number of freckles or moles
Have a family history of skin cancer
Burn easily or have skin that doesn’t tan
Have blue/green eyes and/or light skin
Work in the sun
Suffered sunburn in the past, however mild

Although it’s fun to visit the beach and enjoy the hot sunshine, there’s no such thing as a “safe” tan. Even if you don’t burn, you’re still causing damage to your skin.

Types of Skin Cancer

The top layer of your skin is known as the epidermis. There are three layers within the epidermis, and each part can be affected by cancer. The three skin cancer types are:

Basal Cell Carcinoma

This is the most common type of skin cancer. It spreads slowly, meaning it’s usually treatable if it’s diagnosed quickly.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

This type of skin cancer typically appears on skin most often exposed to the sun, and it spreads quicker than basal cell carcinoma, usually over weeks or months.

Melanoma

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer, but luckily, it’s also the rarest, accounting for around 2% of skin cancer cases. This cancer usually presents as a mole or freckle that’s changed in texture, size, colour, or shape. It’s harder to treat because it spreads more quickly to other parts of the body than squamous or basal cell carcinoma.

Symptoms

Although the symptoms of skin cancer vary widely, you should visit a doctor or dermatologist if you experience any of the following:

A bleeding spot, or a sore that doesn’t heal
A patch of skin that looks different from the skin around it
A mole or freckle that changes in appearance, texture, or size

It’s best if you’re familiar with how your skin normally looks so you can spot changes early. That’s where skin cancer checks come in. Here’s what you should know about them.

Why Regular Skin Cancer Checks are Important

Skin cancer checks are important because over 95% of skin cancers are treatable if they’re discovered early enough. What’s more, this includes 90% of melanomas. Regular skin cancer checks are the only way to guarantee early detection.

A dermatologist or doctor can provide a skin cancer check in Sydney for you, or you can perform a self-assessment.

The Procedure

If you see a dermatologist for a skin cancer check in Sydney, they’ll look over your skin and pay close attention to any lesions. They’ll also evaluate your risk of developing skin cancer based on your skin type, your family history, and your behaviour patterns.

The medical professional can then tell you how often you should be checking your skin, and whether they recommend any follow-up procedures.

For skin cancer checks, it’s best that you see a dermatologist. Dermatologists have undergone extra, specific training to ensure that they know all the skin cancer signs to watch out for.

Skin cancer checks are non-invasive. Once you’ve undergone a professional skin health check, you can check your own skin with confidence, because you’ll know what’s normal for you.

Checking Your Own Skin

To check your own skin, follow these simple steps:

In good light, undress completely
Check your entire body, including the soles of your feet and nail beds
Use a mirror to check areas such as your back, or ask a relative or partner to check for you
Give your scalp an examination, too

If you’re unsure how to check your skin properly, always ask a dermatologist. Typically, you should be checking your skin at least every three months, or every month if you’re in a high-risk group for melanoma. For low-risk individuals, it may only be necessary to perform a skin check annually, but it’s generally accepted that frequent skin checks are preferred.

Preventing Skin Cancer

While it’s impossible to prevent skin cancer, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing the disease. These are:

Wear clothes to cover as much skin as possible
Choose tightly woven fabrics that offer better protection against UV radiation
Use the highest possible SPF sunscreen (currently SPF50+ in Australia) with broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection. SPF is the ‘Sun Protection Factor’ against UVB which causes most damage. For eg, SPF 50 will provide 50 times the amount of time without sun damage, compared to not using sunscreen.
Apply enough sunscreen –Ensure that any skin that will be exposed to the sun is covered in sunscreen. A good guide is the ‘7 teaspoon’ rule –one teaspoon for each limb, one teaspoon each for your front and back of your torso, and half a teaspoon each for your face and neck.
Re-apply regularly – about every 2 hours, or more frequently if swimming or exercising.
Wear hats that cover the neck and ears
Wear sunglasses that fit close to the face
Sit in the shade

What to Do if You’re Worried About Skin Cancer in Sydney

If you’re worried about skin cancer, the best thing to do is to consult a dermatologist. They can check over your skin and give you skin health advice. If they spot any alarming symptoms, they can investigate and go over treatment options with you.

Never delay checking out a potential cancerous change to your skin. Like many illnesses, early detection is key to beating skin cancer. The earlier skin cancer is detected, the easier it is to treat. When combined with lifestyle changes, early detection can also reduce the risk of skin cancer recurrence.

If you are worried about your skin, need advice on how to better look after your skin, or you need more information about skin cancer checks in Sydney, contact us today.

Early Signs and Symptoms of Melanoma

One of the most common signs of melanoma is the formation of a new spot on the skin or an existing mole which appears to be changing. Of course, not all skin spots are suspect; but the best way to determine whether a skin growth may be melanoma is by using the ABCDE method:

Asymmetry: The shape of the mole is uneven or irregular.

Border: The edges are irregular, notched, or blurred.

Color: The mole is unevenly colored, and may include various shades of black or brown, and perhaps even patches of red, white, pink, or blue.

Diameter: The spot would be bigger than six millimeters across (larger than the size of a pencil eraser); however, some melanomas could be smaller than this.

Evolving: The spot changes in size, shape, color or texture.

Although these are more common signs of melanoma, they do not necessarily cover every type of suspicious skin growth. So, it’s important to always take note of any changes in your skin or new spots or growths that look different from your other moles.

Other Possible Symptoms of Melanoma

Aside from applying the ABCDE method, you should also be on the lookout for the following:

Sores that don’t heal

Any redness, swelling, or pigmentation which spreads beyond the border of the spot to the surrounding skin

Visible changes in the appearance of a mole such as a lump or bump as well as bleeding, oozing, or scaling

Itchiness, skin tenderness, or pain

Blurry or partial loss of vision, or the appearance of pigments in the iris which appear to be whitish, tan, or dark brown

Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that cancer symptoms vary, and that not all moles are suspect, or that all melanomas start as moles. Moreover, although melanomas usually develop in parts of the skin exposed to the sun, they can also grow in areas that do not or rarely get any sun exposure.

Aside from checking the limbs, trunk, face and neck, the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, folds between the toes, the skin underneath the fingernails and toenails, the genitals, and the eyes also need to be examined.

The estimated five-year survival rate of melanoma patients who get early-stage diagnosis and treatment is 98 percent. If the disease has progressed into the lymph nodes, the five-year survival rate falls to 64 percent; but when it has metastasized to other organs, the survival rate drops further to only 23 percent.

Your best recourse for early diagnosis is to visit a skin cancer clinic in Sydney (or wherever you reside).

Melanoma Risk Factors

Melanoma skin cancer starts from the melanocytes, which are melanin-forming cells found in parts of the body like the skin, the eyes, and inner ears. When melanocytes grow out of control, melanoma develops.

The exact cause for this phenomenon is unknown, but there are certain factors that can increase your risk of developing melanoma. They are as follows:

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. This includes direct sunlight as well as the use of tanning beds. Early exposure increases the risk, especially if you frequently suffered from sunburn as a child.

Age. The risk of developing melanoma increases with age – just like in most types of cancers. Almost half of newly diagnosed cases of melanoma involve patients aged 55 to 74. However, it’s also the most common type of cancer affecting women aged 25 to 29.

Weakened immune system. Conditions and infections that lead to immune system suppression can make you susceptible to melanoma. This is why organ transplant recipients who are usually given medication that weakens the immune system (to prevent organ rejection), as well as HIV patients with low immunity, have a higher risk of developing melanoma.

Skin tone or complexion. Fair-skinned Caucasians have a higher risk of developing skin cancer overall, not just melanoma. Redheads, blondes, blue- and green-eyed and freckled individuals are also at a higher risk, as well as people who burn easily.

Moles. As discussed earlier, unusual skin spots or moles may signal melanoma.

Genetics or family history. People with one or both parents or a sibling diagnosed with melanoma are at risk of developing it as well. Individuals suffering from a genetic skin condition affecting the skin’s ability to repair UV damage called xeroderma pigmentosum are also at risk of developing melanoma at an early age.

Early Detection is Key

As with any other disease, the best way to increase your chances of successful treatment and survival is getting an early-stage diagnosis. This way, you can avail yourself of early treatment and make necessary lifestyle changes to help improve your condition.

Melanoma skin cancer is a fatal disease, but it is by no means an insurmountable obstacle. With early detection and proper treatment, you have better chances of overcoming it.

The Importance of a Regular Skin Cancer Check in Sydney