Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. In the US alone there over 5.4 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) treated each year in over 3.3 million people. As Americans are living longer it is now estimated that 1 in 5 of them will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer in their lifetime. These non-melanoma skin cancers are not usually aggressive and very rarely metastasize. Most patients affected with these types of skin cancer are able to lead normal, healthy lives if diagnosed and treated early. When left unattended, however, these skin cancers can cause significant localized symptoms such as bleeding and pain. Furthermore, they may become locally destructive to underlying and nearby structures causing disfigurement and disruption of function of vital structures such as the eyes, nose and ears.
Most people may not be able to detect non-melanoma skin cancers as they usually do not have the classic worrisome signs of skin cancer. Therefore it is also advisable for everyone to have a full skin exam by a dermatologist on annual basis. This is especially important in those individuals who have risk factors for developing non-melanoma skin cancers. These risk factors include exposure to UV radiation from the sun, fair complexion, artificial tanning, suppressed or weakened immune system, pre-cancerous skin lesions and prior skin cancer history, among others. During a skin cancer screening visit a dermatologist may counsel patients with specific recommendations tailored to their lifestyle and risk factors. Furthermore, it is advisable for everyone to do a full body self skin exam once monthly. Non-melanoma skin cancers come in variety of colors and textures. Lesions that slowly enlarge over time, bleed easily or fail to heal as expected over a few weeks should raise suspicion and thus should be evaluated by a dermatologist as soon as possible.
The other major category of skin cancer is malignant melanoma which, while only accounting for less than 1% of all skin cancers, accounts for majority of deaths from skin cancer. This is because, unlike basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, melanomas behave aggressively and can become metastatic (i.e. spread to other distant sites of the body) if left untreated. Therefore, early detection and treatment of melanomas is of utmost importance in determining survival. It is noteworthy that less than half of melanomas arise from pre-existing moles and that majority of melanomas are flat and not raised.
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