How does a person get skin cancer?

How does a person get skin cancer?

Skin cancer occurs when errors (mutations) occur in the DNA of skin cells. The mutations cause the cells to grow out of control and form a mass of cancer cells.

Can skin cancer kill you?

A small but significant number of skin cancers are malignant melanomas. Malignant melanoma is a highly aggressive cancer that tends to spread to other parts of the body. These cancers may be fatal if not treated early.

Is it easy to get skin cancer?

Skin cancer is actually one of the easiest cancers to find. That’s because skin cancer usually begins where you can see it. You can get skin cancer anywhere on your skin — from your scalp to the bottoms of your feet. Even if the area gets little sun, it’s possible for skin cancer to develop there.

What is one of the main causes of skin cancer?

Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. To lower your risk of getting skin cancer, you can protect your skin from UV rays from the sun and from artificial sources like tanning beds and sunlamps.

Where does skin cancer most likely to occur?

Although skin cancer can develop anywhere on the body, it’s most likely to occur on areas with the most sun exposure. [2] It’s the UV radiation in the sun that damages the DNA of skin cells and makes them mutate into cancer cells.

Can a person get skin cancer from the Sun?

Sunlight causes damage through ultraviolet, or UV rays, (they make up just one part of sunlight). Two parts of UV, UVA and UVB, can both cause damage to skin. Also, the sun isn’t the only cause of skin cancer. There are other causes. That’s why skin cancer may be found in places on the body never exposed to the sun.

Can a skin cancer cell spread to another part of the body?

Skin cancer cells can sometimes spread to other parts of the body, but this is not common. When cancer cells do this, it’s called metastasis. To doctors, the cancer cells in the new place look just like the ones from the skin. Cancer is always named based on the place where it starts. So if skin cancer spreads to another part of the body, it …

How does a doctor tell if you have skin cancer?

Your doctor will investigate your skin changes to determine a cause. Skin cancer begins in the cells that make up the outer layer (epidermis) of your skin. One type of skin cancer called basal cell carcinoma begins in the basal cells, which make skin cells that continuously push older cells toward the surface.

Which type of skin cancer is the most dangerous?

Melanoma is the most dangerous and deadly type of skin cancer. Even though it is the least common type, it is responsible for most deaths from skin cancer. It can develop on any part of the body, however, the arms, legs, and trunk are the most common area of the body.

How do doctors know if you have skin cancer?

Having a skin biopsy is essential. It’s the only way to know whether you have skin cancer. There’s no other way to know for sure. What your dermatologist removes will be looked at under a microscope. The doctor who examines the removed skin will look for cancer cells.

What are the early stages of skin cancer?

The earliest stage of skin cancer is stage 0 (also called carcinoma in situ, or CIS). The other stages range from I (1) through IV (4). As a rule, the lower the number, the less the cancer has spread.

What is the best treatment for skin cancer?

For many skin cancers, surgical removal by excision or by performing Mohs micrographic surgery is the preferred treatment method. Some forms of skin cancer may be treated non-surgically using topical creams, liquid nitrogen (cryosurgery), curettage, light-based treatments or laser treatments.