All About Skin Cancer

Obviously, the topmost layers of the skin are the first to be affected; the three major types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma (rodent ulcer), squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, all develop in the upper layer of the skin known as the epidermis. Basal cell carcinoma, the most frequent of the three, causes local erosions of tissue if neglected, while squamous cell carcinoma may spread if untreated. Fortunately, both these types can be successfully treated in nearly all cases. Squamous cell carcinoma sometimes occurs on the vulva in women after menopause and may be more difficult to deal with.

Melanoma, the least common of the three, occurs more frequently in sunny countries. Although a certain amount of sun on the skin is beneficial because it forms vitamin D, too much is dangerous. The danger has increased now that high levels of ultraviolet A radiation are reaching the earth’s surface from the sun due to depletion of the ozone layer by flurocarbon chemicals from widespread use of spray cans. Melanomas are the most serious of the three skin cancers, once it starts to grow, it can spread rapidly. If detected and treated early enough, melanomas may be cured in about 75 per cent of cases.

The lighter your skin and eye colour, the more easily you will sunburn and the more likely you are to develop skin cancer. This likelihood increases with exposure to sunlight over both short periods – sunbathing on the beach to a point of, say, blistering – and long periods – pursuing an occupation, such as farming, in which many activities take place outdoors. Even moderate sunbathing after summer increases the odds that you will get skin cancer. The damage to the cells accumulates over time, so that people in their middle or later years are more likely to develop the disease.

The simplest way to avoid skin cancer is to reduce the exposure of you skin to the sun’s cancer causing rays. Protect you skin by limiting your time in the sun and wear full clothing, those parts of the skin that are still exposed apply a good quality sunscreen to. The chemical composition of sunscreens block most of the sun’s harmful rays.

Basal and squamous cell cancers have similar symptoms, while melanomas have their own special set of warning signs. What all skin cancers have in common, however, is change. That is what you should be on the lookout for. Basal and squamous cell cancers may start out small, rough patches of skin that are redder or paler that the surrounding skin. They can also start as tiny lumps or as small sores that bleed easily and seem to heal very slowly or not at all. If left untreated these tiny spots will soon grow and spread to surrounding tissue. Melanoma usually indicates its presence by altering the colour or appearance of a mole. Since melanoma involves cells that produce brown or black pigments, you should be aware of changes in dark spots or patches or moles and be on the lookout for new moles, moles that bleed, or any dark spot, new or old that changes colour, shape or size. Melanomas can be cured if treated in its early stage; those that go untreated may spread to other parts of the body, where they may attack vital organs.

Since skin cancer grows on the surface of the body, the first step in diagnosing them involves visual examination by a dermatologist. An experienced dermatologist can often determine whether a growth on the skin is or is not cancerous just by looking at it. If he suspects skin cancer he will remove a small sample and send it to a laboratory for examination under a microscope. There a pathologist will determine if the cells are skin cancer forming cells. If the samples reveal skin cancer, the dermatologist will remove the growth in one of a number of ways. Certain pre-cancerous skin problems may be treated by the application of a skin lotion containing anticancer drugs. In the case of basal or squamous cell cancer at an early stage, doctors remove the growth either surgically with a knife or by freezing it with liquid nitrogen. Melanomas, which are potentially more dangerous, are nearly always removed surgically together with surrounding tissue. Remember if the melanoma spreads to other parts of the body, other kinds of treatment such as chemotherapy – may be required. Radiotherapy, unfortunately, does not seem to be effective in treating melanoma. The key to treat this type of skin cancer is early detection.

Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer that’s diagnosed each day. It is also highly avoidable and awfully curable if it is caught sufficiently early. There are three different types of skin cancers that can be discovered on your skin.

Squamous cell carcinoma, the first skin cancer you should know about it, comes from getting too much sun. For this reason it is most often found on the face and ears. Squamous cell carcinoma starts off as a bump and later turns into an open sore that doesn’t heal. If you go without treatment, it will get larger and larger. This type of cancer can also spread to more parts of your body if you do not get it dealt with.

Basal cell carcinoma is another one of the types of skin cancers. These are generally found on the face, hands and neck and are as many as seventy five percent of all skin cancers that are diagnosed. Basal cell carcinoma is very treatable and can be cured quite easily if it is located early enough. The symptoms of basal cell carcinoma are a sore that bleeds and is irritated. It might also resemble a fresh scar.

Melanoma is the last and most likely the most dangerous of all. Melanoma can be found on any part of the body, but is generally found on the legs and arms and is often mistaken for a mole or a freckle. Melanoma is very dangerous because it can come from an existing mole which has lately changed size, shape, or color.

To avoid complications associated with this type of skin cancer, it must be detected early underway. The cancer can have a boder that’s not distinguishable from surrounding healthy tissue and the interior of the melanoma may consist of multiple colors.

Regardless of the time of year, care should be taken to prevent skin cancer. Make sure that you protect your skin at every point by wearing suntan lotion and a wide-brimmed hat if possible.

Be sure to wear clothes that keep exposed areas covered. Wear your hat to keep your neck and face protected. Be certain to examine your skin for potential skin cancers frequently. Early detection often makes the difference to survival.

Moles are a sure sign of skin melanoma if they appear after the age of 20. Many Dermatologists recommend a screening procedure be done on a monthly basis is it does develop after the specified age. If the mole undergoes change rapidly or is exhibiting one of the following symptoms, then immediate medical exams are necessary to ascertain the cause or possible extent of skin melanoma. If the mole in question is oozing, bleeding, itchy, scaly, tender or painful, have it checked by a dermatologist for a possible skin biopsy just to be sure. If the biopsy shows that it is indeed cancerous, then it should also show the extent (depth) of spread that has happened allowing proper care and treatment.

When undergoing skin cancer treatment, it is important to take special care of diet you take. However, in most cases, it becomes very difficult to focus on eating the right type of foods when undergoing cancer treatments. It becomes more difficult when you undergo radiation treatment or chemotherapy.

This therapy may dramatically affect your appetite. You need for counseling so that you can get proper nutritional supplements to make you feel stronger and feel faster during the treatment of skin cancer.

Here are certain foods and supplements to help you eat properly during skin cancer treatment:

a) Vitamin C

You should focus on eating foods rich in Vitamin C. Eat a lot of broccoli, spinach as well as citrus fruits. You should also consult your doctor about the fact whether taking a good amount of vitamin C will help. Experts believe that vitamin C speeds up the healing
process soon after biopsy or an excision.

b) Vitamin A and D supplements

Eating foods rich in vitamin A and D will help a lot in your skin cancer treatment. Since people undergoing skin cancer are forbidden to go under direct sunlight, supplements for vitamin D become an important addition to the diet.

c) Fruits and Vegetables
You should eat a lot of fresh organic fruits and vegetables. Also drink a lot of water. Any amount of dehydration in the body can prove harmful, if you are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments. This can eventually result in serious side effects such as dry itchy skin, acne, rashes and peeling.

d) Raw food

Experts feel that eating raw food helps in treating a lot of disease. It also helps in enhancing the effects of skin cancer treatment. Raw foods are expert in killing cancer cells. When food is cooked, about 100% of all enzymes in a food are killed. This is because most foods contain necessary enzymes required to digest the food. Cooking food burdens body and disrupts many items reaching the body. Cooking food actually damage, the overall value of the food in several ways. Hence, it is important to eat vegetables in raw forms.

e) Juice Vegetables and Fruits

There are several benefits of juicing vegetables and fruits. First and foremost, juicing allows the nutrients more digestible and removes obstructing fibers. Another main advantage is that when you juice fruits and vegetables, you tend to have a lot more vegetables and fruits than normally. Juices play vital role in treating skin cancer.

f) Specific Vegetable Juices

Certain vegetable juices are very healthy and helpful in treating skin cancer. You may also go for vegetable juice by mixing carrot juice, beetroot juice, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.

Everybody has heard of the Genome project, the DNA mapping project that aims to map out the entire human DNA sequence and define/identify all the parts they play in our daily lives. It turns out that there is a specific gene that handles the skin’s response to the Sun’s Ultraviolet rays triggering the tanning process and researchers are thrilled of the prospect of using that gene in preventive/treatment products for commercial use. The said gene triggers the tanning process instead of the usual cancerous effects thus preventing cells from mutating into the beginnings of cancer. The said gene is also attributed to be the primary reason why we humans are attracted to the sun even after all the detrimental effects overexposure have been made apparent. For more information check out the article on Science Daily.com, the premiere source of news regarding the field of research.

Skin affects many around the world and kids are not immune to the threat posed by the disease. Kids like many other things are very much susceptible to the disease just as we all are. The best thing to do with kids is to teach them properly the value and importance of protecting one’s skin early on. Kids can log on to the web page by the Nemour’s foundation where a section on their page Kid’s Health deals with skin and the workings of the said organs. It also teaches them early on how to protect their skin and what to do in emergencies along with many other health topics for kinds.

That’s a life insurance question that’s easy to quantify in numbers. At age 57 if I wanted $500,000 of 20 year term insurance and I qualified for the best rate class, preferred plus, I could expect to pay $1840 annually, about $161 a month. If for some reason I was qualified for the second best rate class, a preferred risk instead, the price would be $2160 a year, $189 a month.

So, we know there is a little more than $6000 at risk over the 20 year term depending on the rate class, so what is it that makes you preferred plus or preferred? For that let’s use a pretty middle of the road underwriting guide from North American Life.

For tobacco users, specifically those who smoke cigarettes, to qualify for preferred plus you have to have been a non smoker and not used any tobacco or nicotine products in the last 5 years. For preferred rates that period would be reduced to 3 years. So, if someone purchased life insurance after being a non smoker for 3 years, it would be worth shopping and possibly either replacing that policy when you get to 5 years or, if the company policy allows it, getting a rate reconsideration after you reach that 5 year mark.

Family history is a big factor. Generally companies want to know about your immediate family, mother, father and siblings and whether there has been any occurrence of or death from cardiovascular issues or coronary artery disease, or cancer. For preferred plus most companies require that there have not been any occurrences (even if they survived) prior to age 60. For preferred most companies drop siblings from the guideline and deaths prior to 60 are the benchmark rather than occurrences.

Blood pressure and cholesterol are two very common reasons for rate increases from preferred plus to preferred. For most companies, even if well controlled, being treated for blood pressure is enough to bump you one rate class. If not being treated there are thresholds that need to be met on the exam and with some companies also for the last two years in your medical records. An example would be for preferred plus they want an average of no more than 135/85. For preferred it would be higher, say 140/85.

Again, please keep in mind that these are North American Life guidelines and are middle of the road. Some companies are more liberal and some more conservative. It’s up to your agent to find the company that best fits your situation.

For cholesterol companies generally look at total cholesterol and the cholesterol ratio (total cholesterol/HDL). For preferred plus North American wants to see a total of no more than 220 with a ratio of no more than 4.5. For preferred the total can be 230 with a ratio of 5.5.

Other than the two minor forms of skin cancer, basal cell and squamous cell, any history of cancer will likely preclude preferred plus or preferred rates. The same is true of heart disease or cerebrovascular disease and diabetes. Any history of alcohol treatment would preclude preferred plus rates, while preferred rates would be considered after you are 10 years out from treatment.

Your driving record can affect your rate class with preferred plus requiring no more than one moving violation in the past three years and two violations being allowed for preferred. Airline pilots can qualify for preferred plus rates with full aviation coverage while private pilots would generally be eligible for preferred rates. The private pilot could qualify for preferred plus rates (with North American) but would have to accept an aviation exclusion rider.

There are obviously a lot more criteria or guidelines, but I’ll finish with build, your height and weight. North American is one of the few companies that differentiates between sexes in all rate classes. A lot of companies will have separate weights for men and women in the preferred plus rate class only and a lot of companies simply use a unisex chart, allowing the same build for men and women.

With North American for preferred plus a man 5′6 and 173# or a woman 5′6 and 161# would qualify. For preferred rates a man would need to be 179# and a woman would be 167#.

Bottom line. This is just a snapshot of the little things underwriters take into account when deciding if they are going to allow their best rate class for your policy.

There are over one million new cases of skin cancer diagnosed every year in the United States, representing about half of all cancers diagnosed in the country. And skin cancer on a dramatic increase. There are twice as many skin cancers in our population today as there were 20 years ago. Given this rate of increase, chances are about 50/50 that you will develop at least one skin cancer lesion if you live to age 70. This is especially true if you are fair-skinned. While skin cancer can occur in people of all races, those with lighter skin have a much higher risk because their skin contains less of the pigment melanin, which helps protect against an overdose of the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays, which can lead to skin cancer over time. The effect is apparently cumulative. A body of evidence also suggests that this also applies if you decide to go the “fake bake” route of the tanning salons.

Thankfully, most skin cancers, about 95 percent, are not life threatening. Skin cancer falls into two broad areas: basal-cell cancer / sqamous-cell cancer, and melanoma. The two most common of these cancers are the basal-cell and sqamous-cell carcinomas. These typically are easily treated, usually with surgery, and rarely lead to death. If neglected, however, over time, these can eventually lead to disfigurement and/or can spread with dire consequences. Only about 5 percent of all skin cancers are malignant melanomas, but these are far more dangerous and account for almost all deaths due to skin cancer. This aggressive form of cancer needs to be addressed immediately. Like most cancers, the risk of malignant melanomas will increase with age. If you feel you have developed any type of skin cancer be sure to see a dermatologist at once.

Most skin cancers, as one might imagine, occur on the face, neck and hands as these are the areas that receive the most exposure to the sun due to the fact that most of us wear clothes. These are also the areas that are most exposed to the view of others. As the usual AMA’s (American Medical Association) approach to skin cancer is knife and needle, this can leave unsightly scars just where you might not want any.

But there are alternatives. Having had a number of non-melanoma skin cancers, I’ve had the opportunity to try both the AMA (have the scars to prove it) as well as several “alternative” approaches. The method of treatment that I’ve settled on is the herb Chaparral. Chaparral is a plant that grows in the deserts of the southwestern U.S. and has been used historically by the indigenous populations of the region for a number of ailments. Today, it can be found in powder form at most health food stores. A small bag is all one needs and only cost a few bucks.

I make a paste by mixing the powder with wheat germ oil (also found at your local health food store) and apply it directly to the lesion. Then I cover it with a Band-Aid. I do this once in the morning (after my shower) and again in the evening for six or seven days- carefully removing the old paste with a Q-tip. The advantages I have found are as follows: No pain. Perhaps a slight tingling at first. As chaparral only targets the cancerous cells, without affecting the surrounding normal tissue, my skin can quickly begin to repair itself naturally after the cancer is gone leaving usually just a “new skin” pink spot for several months. And all this at a fraction of the cost of a surgical procedure.

If this all seems a bit strange to you, please understand that this is nothing new. There are a number of books that have been written that offer other non-evasive, less painful methods of treating basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers as well. I would recommend the book, The Skin Cancer Answer: The Natural Treatment for Basal and Sqamos-Cell Carcinomas and Keratoses. This book is priced right, easy to read and provides you with what many might feel is a better method of treatment. But check around- and see what work best for you, knowing that many others have taken the non-AMA approach. In any event, use a dermatologist to diagnose what type of skin condition you might have, discuss it with him, but know that there may be cost effective, alternatives to the knife and needle.

Remaining in sunlight for too long doesn’t cause cancer, yes but it can be one of the reasons in some of the cases. If there is heredity of skin cancer in your family, then there are possibilities that you may become a victim of it. However if you consider turmeric and skin cancer, you might find it very appealing to see how turmeric aids in prevention of cancer. Turmeric is a natural agent and don’t have any side effects in the skin.

It is one of the most common types of cancer which is occurring in present day world, but we are unaware that it is also a simple cancer to treat with. The persons who are diagnosed with skin cancer should start taking turmeric supplements for slowing down the spread of skin cancer.

You cannot even imagine that how exposed and defenseless you body becomes when you are on chemotherapy treatments. By taking turmeric supplements, you are on safer side as it will help you to enhance natural immunity. Along with this turmeric also enables you to stop the cancer and infection. It was found in researches that turmeric aids to stop the spreading of cancerous cells and doctors can work on rest of the cancer.

Turmeric is found to contain 4-5% of curcumin in its dried root form. A researcher also stated that curcumin, the active component of turmeric is found to inhibit the formation of enzymes responsible for cancer in the rodents.

Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric is basically an antioxidant. As we all know that antioxidant scavenges free radicals thereby protecting our body from the ill effects of them. In the laboratory tests it was found that curcumin interferes with many of the molecular pathways involved in the development, growth and spread of cancer.

In 2003, almost 50,000 people were afflicted with skin cancer in the United States alone. Of those, about 8,000 dies as a result of the said disease. So it has caught the attention of health experts from around the world and many countries have taken steps to slow this statistic if not totally prevent the said disease from rising. Many people have the said disease have it till it is too late and that nothing can be done to halt the spread and cure the said disease. Many fail to recognize the warning signs and other factors that contribute to this health risk that they merely do not know enough. Thanks to people from the Skin Cancer Foundation, CDC, National Cancer Institute and many others, information is now within easy reach through their respective web sites for anyone who is seeking information.