The Facts About Skin Cancer

Cancer consists of more than 100 ailments. Each kind of cancer is different to other types in many ways, although all cancers are a disease of some of the cells in the body.

When cells are healthy, they grow, divide and replace themselves. These cells comprise the body's tissue. This process of cell duplication is how the body grows, maintains health and keeps in good repair. Some of these cells, however, can lose their ability to perform these tasks. The growth and progress of these cells becomes limited, or they may divide themselves too rapidly or grow without organization. Sometimes, the cells produce too much tissue, resulting in the formation of benign or malignant tumors.

Benign tumors are those which do not lead to cancer. When a tumor is benign, it's not life-threatening and it won't extend to the rest of the body. Once these types of tumors are removed via surgery, they usually won't return. Benign tumors are typically more of a nuisance than a threat.

Malignant tumors do lead to cancer. They cause illness to the body by invading and destroying the neighboring healthy tissues and organs. They can grow new tumors in the body by spreading or metastasizing to other organs.

The two main kinds of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma and Squamous cell carcinoma. A carcinoma is the term used to describe a cancer that begins in the cells that cover or surround an organ.

More than 90 percent of skin cancers in the United States are basal cell carcinoma. This type of cancer grows slowly and rarely spreads to other areas. It's crucial, however, that all types of skin cancer are found and treated as early as possible to prevent them from invading and destroying nearby tissues.

Squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma are usually referred to as nonmelanoma skin cancer. Melanoma is another form of skin cancer which begins in the melanocytes.

Skin cancers presently account for the most common types of cancer in the United States. An estimated 40 to 50 percent of Americans who live to be 65 years and older will develop skin cancer at least once in their lifetime. It's important to note, however, that people of any age and nationality can develop skin cancer. Fair-skinned, freckled people with red or blond hair and blue or light colored eyes are most risk of developing the disease.

The ultraviolet radiation (UV) from the sun is the principal cause for skin cancer. There are two kinds of ultraviolet radiation: UVA and UVB. There are also artificial sources of UV radiation, for instance, sun beds and tanning booths which can also cause skin cancer.

The location where a person lives plays a role in the risks of developing skin cancer. People live in areas where they are exposed to high levels of UV radiation and are more likely to develop skin cancer. For example, the Texas sun is especially strong. There are also high rates of skin cancer found in South Africa and Australia where the populations get excessive amounts of the sun's radiation.

Article Source: http://www.articlemonk.com

Keefe Figgatt is a writer for several well-known web sites, on health articles and alternative health themes.
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