Cancer is a disease that any person wouldn’t want to have. It can be dangerous, life–threatening, and trigger other complications in the body. The most frequent type of cancer is skin cancer. It occurs when skin cells proliferate in an uneven pattern.
ENT Allergy & Sinus Center is here to help you understand more about skin cancer. Our goal is to provide a thorough and advanced skin cancer removal and reconstruction procedure. If you experience symptoms of skin cancer, don’t hesitate to have yourself checked.
Learn more about skin cancer and its genetic risk factors here in this post.
What is Skin Cancer?
Skin cancer affects millions of Americans each year. Skin cancer develops when altered cells in the skin grow abnormally quickly and uncontrollably. DNA damage caused by solid and cumulative exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunshine or artificial sources, such as indoor tanning, is the most common cause.
The problem usually starts in the epidermis, the skin’s outermost layer. Skin cancer has a reasonable possibility of being cured if caught early. Skin cancer can afflict people of any skin tone. Spending a lot of time in the sun as a youngster and getting a lot of sunburns as a child can raise your risk of developing skin cancer.
Advanced age, a family history of cancer, a compromised immune system, fair skin that burns quickly and does not tan, naturally blond or red hair and light-colored eyes, long-term sun exposure, and past skin cancer are all risk factors.
People who have many moles (more than 50), big moles, or unusual lesions are also at a higher risk of developing the condition.
Types of Skin Cancer
Skin cancer has types that you must also know. Here are the three main types:
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC)
Basal cell carcinoma is skin cells that replace older cells in the epidermis’ lowest layer. This form of skin cancer typically occurs on the skin’s surface. Basal cell carcinoma usually does not spread to other parts of the body. It can be life-threatening in rare circumstances where it does.
Basal cell tumors account for about 80% of all skin malignancies, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
Melanoma
Melanoma accounts for around 1% of all skin cancers. This malignancy arises from the cells that give your skin its color. Melanocytes are the name for these cells.
Melanocytes generate noncancerous moles, although they can turn cancerous. Melanomas can grow in any part of the body. In men, they are more common on the chest and back, whereas in women, they are more common on the legs.
Squamous cell cancer (SCC)
Squamous cell cancer damages the cells on the epidermis’s outermost layer. This cell can also be seen in mucous membranes and the lungs. It’s called cutaneous squamous cell cancer when squamous cell carcinoma develops on the skin.
This type of cancer is usually found on parts of the body that are regularly exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. It’s a manageable ailment, but it can become life-threatening if left untreated.
Skin Cancer Risk Factors
Anything that raises a person’s chances of acquiring cancer is a risk factor. Although risk factors can influence cancer development, most of them do not cause cancer directly.
Some people who have several risk factors never get cancer, whereas others who have none do. Understanding your risk factors and having a talk with your doctor may assist you in making better lifestyle and health-care decisions.
The leftover DNA damage can result in mutations that cause skin cancer over time. Genetics (family history), freckling, skin type or color, hair color, and the number of moles on the body are all factors that increase the risk of melanoma.
The four genetic risk factors are listed below to help you learn more about this topic.
Family History
You are at higher risk if one or more close biological relatives – parents, brothers, sisters, or children – have had skin cancer. Each person with a relative diagnosed with skin cancer has a higher risk of contracting cancer than those with no family history.
After a diagnosis, doctors frequently advise that close relatives be screened for the disease.
Familial Melanoma
Although mutations in specific genes such as CDKN2A, CDK4, P53, and MITF have been discovered to cause melanoma, these are uncommon. Only a small percentage of melanoma-prone households carry these genetic abnormalities from generation to generation.
Other genes and environmental factors that may influence a person’s risk of acquiring melanoma and other cancers are being investigated by scientists.
Fair Skin
Skin Cancer is more likely to occur in those with a fair complexion, blond or red hair, blue eyes, and freckles. People whose skin tends to burn rather than tan are also at a higher risk.
Other Conditions
Skin Cancer happens in people with certain inherited genetic diseases, such as xeroderma pigmentosum, retinoblastoma, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Werner syndrome, and some hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes.
What You Can Do
Skin cancer families’ children require extra care. Some doctors advise skin exams during puberty and adolescence. The good news is that the survival rate for familial melanoma is even higher than for non-familial melanomas.
These families keep a close eye on their loved ones. Melanomas are usually discovered when the cancer is still in its early stages and is more likely to be cured.
By following easy, smart precautionary steps, you can lower the risk of skin cancer caused by UV radiation. Even if it’s gloomy, protect your skin from the sun every day. It would be best if you avoided indoor tanning at all costs.
Suppose you have FAMMM; you should check your skin more frequently and see your dermatologist for regular expert skin checks.
ENT Allergy Sinus & Center is open to supporting you with your concerns. Our experts utilize a high-powered microscope to establish where cancer starts and stops before surgery begins.
For further details, please consider making an appointment today with us! Let us help you wiath your needs.
