There is much you should learn about the damaging powers of cancer as it concerns the skin as one of the most vital organisms that our bodies support, and it is with defending it that you should be aware of the effects of sun upon your skin, along with the ways to prevent yourself from running into harm from these agents that can be considered carcinogenic to your skin’s health. You should be aware of some of the symptoms of cancerous behavior before qualifying yourself as having cancer, and a qualified physician can help you to test for any kind of abnormal growth.

Many types of skin cancer are classified today into many categories that differ between severity of the growth and the particular kind of growth taking place, and there are many options for treatment once the ailment has been properly diagnosed, with any kind of medications being factored in. Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer, but can be one hundred percent curable if diagnosed and removed while it is thin and still in the outermost layer of skin. Once cancer advances and metastasizes or spreads to other parts of the body, it can be quite difficult to treat, and can even be deadly to the patient.

Melanoma is not the most common form of skin cancer, however, as much as Basal Cell Carcinoma seems to be through the affecting of 800,000 Americans each year. One out of every three new cancers is a skin cancer, the vast majority of which are basal cell carcinomas, and which arise from the basal cells at the bottom of the outer layer of skin. Until recently those most afflicted were elderly people, particularly men who worked outdoors, but lately that is changing as the number of new cases has increased sharply each year in the last few decades.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is the second most common form of skin cancer, and afflicts the patient in the upper layers of skin, occurring even in the mucous membranes though mostly only confined to occurring on areas from exposure to the sun. Eventually these afflictions will penetrate the underlying tissues if left untreated, and it can be disfiguring when this happens, even spreading to other vital areas and organs becoming potentially fatal. When this happens, the signs are clear in areas where chronic inflammatory skin conditions occur, or can appear on the mucous membranes or lips.

The best way to be prepared when you feel the need to find out if you have the symptoms for skin cancer is to go to your local physician or hospital for testing, and particularly your own personal physician if you have one, they can then give you the confirmation if you have cancer afterwards or ease your worries if the case is negative for cancerous growth. Keeping yourself aware is the best means to prevent any cancerous growth you might have, but only effective treatment will allow you be able to help you dissolve whatever cancer you may have already.