Skin Cancer _ draft

Normal moles

A mole or a nevus is the begging growth of melanocyte. These are cells that give skin its color.¹ Normal moles are flat and may become slightly raised over a long period of time. The surface of a normal mole is smooth. Most moles develop in the youth or young adults. It is very rare for a mole to develop in your adult years.¹

Dysplastic Nevi (Atypical Moles)

Atypical moles are not cancer; however, they can become cancerous. Atypical moles are typically found in sun exposed or sun protected areas of the body.¹ They may be larger than one- quarter inch across or larger than other moles and can be irregular shaped. They can have notched or fading borders. Atypical moles can be flat or raised and have smooth or rough surfaces. They can be mixed color.² These colors can range from pink, tan to brown. These should be monitored very closely.

Skin Cancer

This topic is talked about on a daily basis; however, we forget how serious this can become. Many athletes don’t understand the severity and how easy it is to develop. Medical professional are great at advising athletes and the general public to wear sunscreen and to stay out of the sun when the rays are at their peak; however, do we as the general public and athletes really listens to those wise world of advice. Statics have pointed out an alarming increase in skin cancer diagnosis in this past year alone.

Informing, Preventing and treating Skin Cancer are the topics that going to be address in this bog.

While preventing skin cancer, the patient needs to be informed about the ABCDE’s of skin cancer.

A is for Asymmetry.¹ Asymmetry means one half of a mole does not match the other half. Normal moles are symmetrical. When you have your patients checking their moles and freckles, have them draw an imaginary line through the middle of the area and compare each side.¹ If both sides don’t match you should see a medical professional.  

B is for Border.¹ When you are examining your moles and freckles and if the borders or edges of the area are ragged, blurred, or irregular you should talk to a medical professional. 

C is for Color.¹ Moles and freckles that do not have the same color throughout or have shades of tan, brown, black, blue, white or red should be monitored. Normal moles/ Non-cancerous moles are usually a single shade of color.² Changes of color should be documented.

D is for diameter.¹ If a mole or freckle becomes suspicious monitor its diameter. If the diameter is larger than an eraser of a pencil you should talk to your medical professional.

Melanoma lesions often have uneven borders.

E is for Evolving.¹ A mole that is evolving can shrink, grow larger, change color or begin to itch.² Evolving can also appear as newly elevated or raised skin. 

Melanoma

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer and potentially deadly.³ Melanoma lesions often grow in size or change in height quickly. Common places for melanoma to grow on men are on the back and on the lower leg for females.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is a nonmelanoma skin cancer that can have a firm nodule with a red color.² They can have a scaly growth that bleeds or develops a crust or a sore that does not heal. These often appear on the nose, forehead, ears, lower lips, hands and other areas that are exposed to the sun for a great amount of time.

Bowen Disease

Bowen Disease is also called squamous cell carcinoma.³ This type of skin cancer is spread outward on the surface of the skin. There is also another type which grows inward called invasive squamous cell carcinomas. This type skin cancer is important to watch for because it can spread into the interior of the body. Bowen disease looks like reddish patches, scaly, and may be crusted over. This can be easily mistaken for a rash, eczema, fungus, or psoriasis.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal Cell Carcinoma is the most common and easiest to treat skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma spreads slowly.² This type of cancer can take many different forms. These different forms can include pearly white to a waxy bump that often have visible blood vessels on the ear, neck or face. Tumors can also appear with a flat, scaly, flesh/ pink colored to a brown patch on the back or chest area.³

Less common Skin Cancers

Uncommon types of skin cancer include Kaposi’s sarcoma.² This is mainly seen in people who have weakened immune system. Examples of these are sebaceous gland carcinoma and Merkel cell carcinoma. Sebaceous gland carcinoma is found to be an aggressive cancer that originates in the oil glands. Merkel cell carcinoma is found on sun exposed areas on the head, neck, arms, and legs. This type of carcinoma can spread to other parts of the body once it grows on another part of the body.³ 

Preventing Skin Cancer

Sun exposure is the biggest cause of skin cancer.¹ The sun is not the only reason skin cancer can develop. This is why skin cancer can grow in areas on the body that are not exposed to the sun. Exposure to environmental hazards like radiation treatment and heredity can play a role in developing skin cancer. People who have fair skin and light colored eyes, an abundance of large irregularly shaped moles, family history, history of excessive sun exposure or blistering sunburns, live or lived at high altitudes with year round sunshine and received radiation treatments are more susceptible to receiving skin cancer than others.¹

Reduce the Risk of Skin Cancer

Patients should limit their exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, especially between 10am to 4pm.² These times are when the sun’s rays are the strongest. When your patient goes outside they should wear broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or high. Most areas that are forgotten when applying sun protection are the lips and ears. If your patient does not want to apply the sun protection cream they can wear a hat, sunglasses and cover up with clothing. Patients should examine their skin on a regular basis. Patients should start at their head and work down their entire body.³ Patients should check your scalp between fingers, toes, groin, and the soles of the feet and behind the knees.  If they recognize any of the ABCDE’s contact your medical professional. Medical professionals can hand out packets with pictures and the ABCDE’s. They should have more sun screen in the clinics for athletes to use and inform other to use it as well.

References

1. Knechtle B, Stiefel M, Rosemann T. Precancerous Skin Lesions and Skin Cancer. WebMed. Accessed October 14, 2015.

2.  Keith S. Skin Cancer Sign, The Skin Cancer Foundation EIN: 13-2948778]Accessed October 14, 2015

3. Robert M. Skin Cancer Diseases and Conditions. Mayo Clinic. 1998-2015 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Accessed October 14, 2015