Skin Cancer Types, Risk Factors, Signs and Treatment

Skin cancer represents the most commonly diagnosed malignancy, surpassing lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. Tumors develop primarily on areas of sun-exposed skin, including the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms and hands, and on the legs in women. Contrary to popular conception, skin cancer affects people of all skin tones, including those with darker complexions. Most skin cancers appear after age 50, but the sun’s damaging effects begin at an early age, therefore protection should start in childhood in order to prevent skin cancer later in life.

Types of Skin Cancer

The main types of skin tumours are:

1. Melanomas are skin cancers that form in melanocytes (skin cells that make pigment). Even though it is rare, malignant melanoma is responsible for 75 % of all skin cancer related death cases.

2. Basal Cell carcinomas are skin cancers that form in basal cells (small, round cells in the base of the outer layer of skin).

3. Squamous Cell carcinomas are skin cancers that form in squamous cells (flat cells that form the surface of the skin).

Rarer types of skin tumors are:

1. Neuroendocrine carcinomas which form in neuroendocrine cells (cells that release hormones in response to signals from the nervous system.) carcinoma of the skin.

2. Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.

3. Merkel cell carcinoma.

4. Kaposi’s sarcoma.

Risk Factors

Risk factors for non melanoma and melanoma skin cancers include: unprotected and or excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, fair complexion, occupational exposures to; coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds, radium, family history, multiple or atypical moles, and severe sunburns as a child. Anyone with a family history of skin cancer also has an increased risk of developing skin cancer.

Signs of Skin Cancer

Signs of melanoma may include: A large brownish spot with darker speckles located anywhere on your body, a simple mole located anywhere on your body that changes in color, size or feel or that bleeds, a small lesion with an irregular border and red, white, blue or blue-black spots on your trunk or limbs, shiny, firm, dome-shaped bumps located anywhere on your body, dark lesions on your palms, soles, fingertips and toes, or on mucous membranes lining your mouth, nose, vagina and anus.

Signs of basal cell carcinoma can vary depending on the type and may include skin changes such as a: Firm, pearly bump with tiny blood vessels in a spider like appearance (telangiectasias). Signs of squamous cell carcinoma include any: persistent, firm, red bump on sun-exposed skin.

Treatment

Depending on the type of skin cancer, dermatologic surgical treatments include: surgical excision; electrodessication and curettage which involves alternately scraping or burning the tumor in combination with low levels of electricity, cryosurgery and laser surgery. Other dermatologic treatments include radiation therapy and photodynamic therapy (a chemical is applied to the skin prior to exposure to a light source). Mohs micrographic surgery is preferred for large basal cell carcinomas, those that recur after previous treatment, or lesions affecting parts of the body where experience shows that recurrence is common after treatment by other methods.

Skin cancer can be deadly, but nearly all skin cancer can be treated if it is detected and diagnosed early, however skin cancer can recur, so it is important that you examine your skin regularly for any changes and see your doctor for a check-up every six to 12 months.

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Learn About The Different Colon Cancer Types

Cancer is a medical condition that has grown all too popular and impacting thousands of individuals. There are tons of various types of cancer. Several of the more common types are; breast cancer, liver cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer.

Out of these, colon cancer – referred to as colorectal cancer – is the most common. According to health experts 1 out of 17 individuals that live in the United States alone will be diagnosed with colon cancer. It has been ranked the third most average cancer that men will be diagnosed with.

What makes colon cancer so fatal is how difficult it is for doctors to spot it around an early stages. There are many different types of colon cancer that will bear upon a person differently. Some are more serious than other types and if they are not spotted early there is no promising treatment for the patient.

Adenocarcinomas

This type is the most average type of colon cancer that will start out in a patient’s glands. This type has two contrasting subtypes that are; signet ring cell and mutinous. 90 – 95% of patients who are treated for colon cancer will have the adenocarcinomas type.

Leiomyosarcomas

This type of colon cancer will start out inside of the smooth muscle that is in the colon. Less than 2% of individuals who are diagnosed with colon cancer will be diagnosed with this type. They also have a better chance of recovery.

Lymphomas

Lymphomas is a rare type of colon cancer that normally begins inside the rectum before it travels to the colon. It is feasible for this to start in other sections of the body. When this takes place the cancer has an increased risk of circulating to the colon before moving to the rectum at a faster pace.

Melanomas

This is another rare type of colon cancer that will normally start out in a different area of a patient’s body before it spreads to the colon and the rectum. Not even 2% of people diagnosed with colon cancer will suffer from this medical condition.

Neuroendocrine Tumors

These tumours have been broken into two classifications; indolent and aggressive. The aggressive type are neuroendocrine tumors that can be large or small cell. Carcinoid tumors are indolent.

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Complete Information on Carcinoid Tumor

Carcinoid tumors are an unusual, slow-growing type of cancer that can arise in several places throughout your body. Carcinoid tumor neuroendocrine system is comprised of cells that are spread throughout several organ systems, including the lungs and digestive system. They are called neuroendocrine cells because they have characteristics of both nerve and endocrine cells. Nerve cells use electrical impulses to transmit signals. Endocrine cells, such as the thyroid and pancreas, make up glands that secrete hormones, such as thyroid hormone and insulin, which can be used to communicate with other organs.

About 30% of carcinoid tumors originate in the lungs. Because carcinoid tumors arise from hormone producing tissues, many of the position effects of carcinoid tumors can be linked to the improper departure of respective compounds into the blood flow, which will be discussed subsequently. Carcinoid tumors happen somewhat more often in women than men. Carcinoid tumors originate in three areas: the foregut, midgut and hindgut. Multiple endocrine neoplasia character 1 is a hereditary disorder that increases the danger for neuroendocrine tumors, including carcinoids. Gastrointestinal conditions increase the danger for carcinoid tumors of the GI parcel.

These tumors can metastasize to bone and may be associated with atypical carcinoid syndrome, acromegaly, Cushing disease, other endocrine disorders, telangiectasia, or hypertrophy of the skin in the face and upper neck. Carcinoid tumors can also produce and release hormones into your body that cause signs and symptoms, such as diarrhea or skin flushing. The treatment for a carcinoid tumour depends on a number of factors including your general health and the size and position of the tumour. Surgery is the main treatment for carcinoid tumors. Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells.

It may sometimes be used to handle carcinoid tumours that have scatter and the secretion of serotonin, and of prolonging a better character of living. Radiotherapy is normally given to handle symptoms, such as pain, which may happen if the tumour has scatter to the bones. Hepatic artery embolisation handling may be used to decelerate downward the increase of incidental liver tumours by reducing the blood supply to the liver. Radiofrequency ablation may be used in some situations where the tumour is affecting the liver. It uses laser or radiowaves to kill the cancer cells by heating them to higher temperatures.

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Pancreas Cancer Treatment In India at Affordable Cost- Pancreas Cancer

 

Pancreas Cancer Treatment In India

 

Pancreatic cancer

 

Symptoms

Dull, continuous abdominal pain (less pain when leaning forward, more when lying down) Pain in the middle of your back Jaundice (yellowing of skin and whites of eyes), often accompanied by itching of the skin Rapid weight loss Chronic nausea or diarrhea Weakness Enlarged liver and gallbladder Clay or light colored stools….

 

 

Causes

While it can seldom be explained why one person gets pancreatic cancer and another doesn’t, it is clear that the disease is not contagious. No one can “catch” cancer from another person.

Although scientists do not know exactly what causes cancer of the pancreas, they are learning that some things increase a person’s chance of getting this disease. Smoking is a major risk factor. Research shows that cigarette smokers develop cancer of the pancreas two to three times more often than nonsmokers. Quitting smoking reduces the risk of pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, and a number of other diseases…

 

Types of pancreatic cancer

Cancers of the pancreas are divided into groups according to their position within the pancreas and the type of cell that the cancer has started from.

Between 7 and 8 out of 10 of all pancreatic cancers occur in the head of the pancreas (see diagram of the pancreas). Nearly all pancreatic cancers start from the cells in the inner lining of the pancreatic ducts..

These include : -

a group of conditions called neuroendocrine tumours, which produce hormones a type of lymphoma – a cancer arising from lymphatic tissue in the pancreas pancreatic sarcoma, which develops in the tissue that holds together the cells of the pancreas…

 

diagnosis

History of your symptoms Physical examination Lab tests for anemia and blood sugar Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancratogram (ERCP) CT scan or MRCP…

 

Treatment Methods

Cancer of the pancreas is curable only when it is found in its earliest stages, before it has spread. Otherwise, it is very difficult to cure. However, it can be treated, symptoms can be relieved, and the quality of the patient’s life can be improved. Pancreatic cancer is treated with surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy. Researchers are also studying biological therapy to see whether it can be helpful in treating this disease. Sometimes several methods are used, and the patient is referred to doctors who specialize in different kinds of cancer treatment.

Surgery may be done to remove all or part of the pancreas. Sometimes it is also necessary to remove a portion of the stomach, the duodenum, and other nearby tissues. This operation is called a Whipple procedure. In cases where the cancer in the pancreas cannot be removed, the surgeon may be able to create a bypass around the common bile duct or the duodenum if either is blocked…

 

Risk Factors

Smoking is the most generally accepted risk factor for cancer of the pancreas. Adenocarcinomas — the glandular-cell growths that account for about 95 percent of pancreatic tumors — are two to three times more common in heavy smokers than in nonsmokers…

 

Other possible risk factors include the following : -

 

Family history : – About 10 percent of patients with pancreatic cancer report a family history of the disease. A few hereditary syndromes, including familial atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome, familial breast cancer, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, and hereditary pancreatitis account for a small percentage of pancreatic cancer cases. Mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA2 have been found in some families with familial pancreatic cancer.

Diet : – A diet high in meat and fats is possibly associated with a higher risk of pancreatic cancer. Recent research has suggested obesity and physical inactivity as additional risk factors.

Advancing age : – Most patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer are between the ages of 60 and 80. The disease can occur in younger people, however — particularly those with a family history of the disease.

Male gender : – More men than women are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer; however, incidence has been rising in women in recent years…

 

Q. How common is cancer of the pancreas ?

Cancer of the pancreas (also known as “pancreatic cancer”) is a relatively rare form of cancer. Approximately 7,400 people are diagnosed with the condition each year, and overall it accounts for 3% of all cancer cases.

Pancreatic cancer tends to affect people between 60-80 years of age. Approximately 63% of people diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas are over 70 years of age. Men tend to be slightly more affected than women…

 

Q. Who is at risk for pancreatic cancer ?

People with exposure to carcinogens (cancer causing agents) are at an increased risk Though rare, heredity can play a role. Pancreatic cancer is three to four times more common in people who smoke…

 

 

 

 

 

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