Skin cancer - the most common type of cancer among men. It is estimated that every year about one million diagnosed cases of skin cancer. Moreover, the incidence is increasing every year, causing concern among experts. In most cases, the first sign of cancer of the skin becomes small ulcer or tumor of the skin that does not heal for a prolonged time.

The most common types of skin cancer are bazilioma or basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Of these, particularly frequent bazilioma and squamous cell carcinoma, also called nemalomnymi skin cancers. Melanoma - the most dangerous type of skin cancer as it spreads throughout the body particularly quickly. Here we talk about the two most common types of skin cancer.

Bazilioma

Bazilioma diagnosed in 90% of cases of skin cancer. She almost never metastasizes, but it can cause serious damage to germinating adjacent to the tumor tissue.

Risk factors

Bazilioma is most common among people over the age of 50 years with light skin. Weakened immune system caused by various reasons, may also contribute to the development baziliomy. Other risk factors:

• Exposure to sunlight. The basal cell skin cancer often begins to develop on the face and other skin areas most exposed to sunlight. Only 20% of bazilioma develops on those areas that most of the time remain hidden from the sun - on the chest, back, legs, and so on. The risk of baziliomoy largely depends on where you live. The highest incidence of this and other types of skin cancer are found in South Africa and Australia, where residents regularly receive large doses of ultraviolet radiation.
• Solarium can also increase the risk of baziliomy. Some experts suggest that it is the growing popularity of tanning beds has led to an increase in the incidence of skin cancer.
• Radiotherapy, which is used to treat various types of cancer, can trigger the development of baziliomy.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

The first sign is usually baziliomy appearance of a small bump on the skin, which can often be covered with thin surface vessels. Sometimes basal cell carcinoma contains melanin Which foods contain melanin - skin care . To distinguish a tumor from normal moles Moles:: tags fate or bombs?   without biopsies impossible. Bazilioma develops very slowly; it may be months or years before the symptoms become noticeable.

For diagnosis baziliomy usually biopsy - it removes small fragment neoplasm, which can be a tumor, and study it under a microscope to detect cancer cells.

Treatment

The probability of successful treatment baziliomy is more than 90%. The main task of the doctor in the treatment of patients with this diagnosis - to completely remove the tumor, destroy all the cancer cells and leave the skin as much as possible less visible scars.

Currently, the following treatments baziliomy:

• Desiccation and curettage. After scraping carcinoma using a special tool to control bleeding and destroy any remaining cancer cells use electrical current. When using this technology for the healing of skin sutures are not required. It can be used for the treatment of small tumors on the trunk and extremities.
• Excision of tumors - carcinoma excised, and skin was sutured as usual.
• Radiotherapy is assigned when treated by surgical methods difficult. Usually this type of therapy gives good cosmetic results. One patient required, on average, 25-30 sessions radiotherapy.
• Cryosurgery. Sometimes you can achieve good results by freezing basal cell carcinoma. In most cases, it uses liquid nitrogen.

In some cases, a medical therapy - uses drugs to kill cancer cells (for example, 5-fluorouracil, Efudex, Fluoroplex) or stimulate the immune system (imiquimod). These funds are applied to the affected skin as once a week, for several weeks. As a rule, they cause irritation and inflammation, which are quite fast. The main disadvantages of medical treatment are associated discomfort that can be quite serious, and lower compared with the surgical treatments, the probability of a full recovery.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin

Squamous cell carcinoma begins to develop in the squamous cells, which under a microscope look like fish scales (their name comes from the Latin word for scales of fish or reptiles). This type of cancer occurs about four times less than bazilioma.

• Risk factors

The main factor that increases the risk of squamous cell skin cancer is exposure to sunlight. Often squamous cell begins to develop from precancerous growths called solar keratosis. They usually appear on the skin, which over the years regularly exposed to sunlight - on the face, back, arms. It may take many years before cellular damage when something caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation, lead to the development of skin cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma is often diagnosed in middle-aged people who have stopped actively sunbathing before they turned 30 years old.

Less common risk factors include exposure to arsenic, hydrocarbons, and X-rays. Sometimes, squamous cell cancer begins to develop in the scar tissue - that can contribute to weakening of the immune system as a result of infection or taking certain medications.

• Symptoms and Diagnosis

A symptom of squamous cell carcinoma is often reddish, with a rough surface bump on the skin. These bulges can be very painful, but their appearance does not usually cause patients serious concerns. Over time - sometimes several years - the tumor can grow, affecting the deeper layers of the skin. Squamous skin cancer can metastasize - it usually leads to the appearance of the skin hard, reddish or flesh-colored nodules. For the diagnosis of this type of cancer also applies biopsy.

Squamous cell carcinoma treated by the same methods as Basilio.

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