Melanoma Skin Cancer

  Skin cancer occurs when skin cells are damaged, for example, by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.

Types of skin cancer:

1) melanoma – the most dangerous form of skin cancer 2) non-melanoma skin cancer. a) basal cell carcinoma b) squamous cell carcinoma

Skin cancer comes in two forms, melanomas and non-melanomas. Melanomas usually account for only four percent of diagnosed skin cancers, but they are considered to be the most deadly.

There are four stages of melanoma that classify the severity of this skin cancer. Each stage pertains to the thickness and the amount that the melanoma has spread. When the stage of melanoma has been diagnosed, it is then possible for the doctors to determine the best type of treatment.

Stage 1 of melanoma is thin and the epidermis usually appears scraped. This stage of skin cancer is subdivided into two other categories. These additional categories describe the thickness of the tumor. Stage 1a is less than 1.0 mm and has no ulceration. Stage 1b is less than 1.0 mm but has ulceration. It is also considered to be in stage 1b if it is 1.01 – 2.0 mm even if it does not involve ulceration.

Ultra violet radiation emanating from the sun accounts for the majority of skin cancer. It is therefore one of the leading causes of skin cancer. UV rays, the other name for ultra violet radiation are said to come from the sun. The sun’s energy is made up of two components which are the visible and invisible rays.

Skin cancer prevention is preached by medical professionals all over the United States. This is no surprise given that the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation reported more than one million Americans were diagnosed with some form of skin cancer in 2005.

Preventing skin cancer is often associated with older generations, but today you see more teenagers and young adults spending excessive amounts of time in the sun. Without the proper protection, our society could see a surge in skin cancer diagnosis.


The diagnosis of skin cancer can be devastating. It is a scary time and you may be thinking about what you should do next. If your skin cancer has been noted in its early stages your chance of survival is excellent.

When you catch skin cancer early, you may have it removed and stop the cancer before it has a chance to take hold. Be certain to be pro-active about keeping skin cancer at bay. When you find it early on, you have a good chance of defeating it.

During skin cancer's first stages you will learn whether you have a non-melanoma skin cancer or melanoma. In the skin cancer early signs/stages, the survival rate is sort of good for both. With basal cell carcinoma, spread past second stage is rare. For that reason, the diagnosis for this type of skin cancer is usually quite good.

If you have been diagnosed as having a melanoma skin cancer it can and does spread beyond stage I and II if it's not stopped. When it is located in stage I and II the survival rate for a melanoma over 5 years is virtually one hundred pc. If it is found at stage III the survival rate drops to 60%. This is a big drop and shows the importance of early detection as the largest cure for melanoma skin cancer. Online pharmacy serves your needs for prescriptions, health and wellness products, and health information.

It is critical that you continually check your skin one or more times a month. A doctor should also see you frequently so that your skin can be checked as a part of your ordinary physical. If you spot anything suspicious on your skin you should have it checked out by a doctor right away. This is particularly true if you have got a mole or darkening that is changing shape and or color.

You need to also check with your GP if you have a wound that may not heal. Obtain the description of what a melanoma skin cancer looks like from your physician so that you have a good idea of what you are looking for when you do your self exams. You must be in a position to identify possible skin cancer.

Skin cancer early signs can be relatively small in size, about the size of a pea, and progressively grows bigger. Eventually other organs will become concerned as the cancer progresses thru the body. Once this occurs the survival rate will drop and other forms of treatment, aside from removal of the cancer, will be necessary.