Dr. Schachter discusses skin cancers
Skin cancer is the most common form of human cancer
The annual rates of incidence of all types of skin cancer are increasing each year, and are a growing public concern. It's also been estimated that nearly half of all North Americans who live to age 65 will develop skin cancer at least once.
The most obvious warning sign of skin cancer is a change in the skin's appearance; this can be either a new growth or a sore that persists without healing.
The term "skin cancer" refers to three different conditions. From the least to the most dangerous, they are:
- Basal cell carcinoma (or basal cell carcinoma epithelioma)
- Squamous cell carcinoma (the first stage of which is called actinic keratosis)
- Melanoma
The two most common forms of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Together, these are also referred to as non-melanoma skin cancer.
Melanoma is usually the most serious type of skin cancer, as it tends to spread throughout the body rapidly. Skin cancer is also known as skin neoplasia.
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