What body system does skin cancer affect?

What body system does skin cancer affect?

What body system does skin cancer affect?

Melanoma, which forms in melanocytes, the skin cells that produce the brown pigment known as melanin and darken when exposed to the sun. Merkel cell carcinoma, which forms in cells that give skin its sense of touch and may metastasize to the brain, bones, liver or lung.

How does skin cancer affect a person’s daily life?

Receiving a skin cancer diagnosis is a life-changing experience. Fear, anxiety, depression, and other emotions can run rampant, regardless of your specific diagnosis and treatment options. For many, although diagnosis may be scary, there are treatment options and ways to manage and improve your condition.

What happens to your skin when you get skin cancer?

When the DNA that controls the cells’ growth is damaged, it causes an overgrowth and buildup of skin cells. Eventually, this skin cell buildup forms a tumor, which results in the symptoms you see, such as irregular spots, red bumps, or scaly patches on your skin.

What kind of skin cancer is hard to treat?

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare type of skin cancer. MCC tends to grow quickly and can be hard to treat if it spreads beyond the skin. Lymphoma is a cancer that starts in cells that are part of the body’s immune system.

What kind of cells are involved in skin cancer?

Cells involved in skin cancer. Squamous cells lie just below the outer surface and function as the skin’s inner lining. Basal cells, which produce new skin cells, sit beneath the squamous cells. Melanocytes — which produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its normal color — are located in the lower part of your epidermis.

Where does skin cancer spread in the body?

In some cases, a skin cancer is first detected based on symptoms due to metastases. Melanoma can spread to nearly any region of the body, but the most common sites of melanoma metastases, as well as squamous cell carcinoma metastases, are lymph nodes, bones, the lungs, the liver, and the brain.

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.

What are the possible causes of skin cancer?

Causes of Skin Cancers. The most common cause of skin cancers are ultraviolet (UV) rays, either from the sun, or from UV-emitting lamps, like those in tanning saloons. Both UV-A and UV-B rays may cause skin cancer.

What are the effects of untreated skin cancer?

Symptoms of skin cancer include the appearance of abnormal areas of skin or abnormal-looking moles. Left untreated, some forms of skin cancer can spread dangerously to nearby lymph nodes and then to other areas of the body.

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.