Skin Cancer Screening
One in five Americans will get skin cancer over the course of a lifetime, and nationally, there are more new cases of skin cancer each year than the combined incidence of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers. More than 90% of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure, yet fewer than 33% of adults, adolescents and children routinely use sun protection. Screening is looking for cancer before a person has any symptoms. This can help find cancer at an early stage. When abnormal tissue or cancer is found early, it may be easier to treat. By the time symptoms appear, cancer may have begun to spread.
Q. What should I expect?
A. It is important to remember that Dr. Ali does not necessarily think you have cancer if she suggests a screening test. Screening tests are given when you have no cancer symptoms. Dr. Ali will evaluate your body from head to toe to see if you have any suspicious lesions. If your screening shows suspicious lesions the next step would be to have a biopsy of the lesion to see if the results are normal. If your test comes back abnormal Dr. Ali will remove to lesion completely.
Different Types of Cancer
Actinic Keratosis (AK)
The Most Common Pre-Cancer
Q. What causes AK?
A. Chronic exposure to sunlight causes the condition. The likelihood of developing AK is highest in regions near the equator. Also known as solar keratosis, an AK is a small, crusty, scaly or crumbly bump or horn that arises on the skin surface. Occasionally, it can itch or produce a pricking sensation. The colors range from light to dark, tan, pink and red. The lesion develops slowly and can grow to an inch. AKs are most likely to appear on areas most often exposed to sunshine. AK is the most common type of precancerous skin lesion. Once AK has been diagnosed, it is vital to treat it to avoid its transformation into SCC.
Q. Who gets AK?
A. People at highest risk have fair skin, blond or red hair and light eyes. Darker-skinned people can develop AKs if exposed to the sun without protection. Individuals with immune systems weakened by chemotherapy, AIDS or organ transplants are also at higher risk. Older people are most likely to develop AK lesions. Some experts believe that the majority of people who live to the age of 80 will have AKs. However, with a considerable amount of our lifetime sun exposure occurring before age 20, those statistics are beginning to change significantly.
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
The Most Common Form of Skin Cancer
Q. What causes BCC?
A. Exposure to sunlight is the cause of almost all BCCs, which occur most frequently on exposed parts of body including the face, ears, neck, scalp, shoulders and back. Although rare, tumors can also develop in unexposed areas. Causes for this include exposure to radiation, complications of burns, scars, infections, vaccinations and chronic inflammatory skin conditions. BCCs arise in the basal cells, which are at the bottom of the epidermis.
Q. Who gets BCC?
A. People at highest risk have fair skin, blond or red hair and light eyes. The population most affected are older people; however, the average age of the disease’s onset has decreased steadily in recent years. Men over 40 spend the most time outdoors and have the highest annual exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Although men with BCC have typically outnumbered women, that statistic is also changing. In the past 30 years, skin cancer has tripled in women under age 40.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)
The Second Most Common Form of Skin Cancer
Q. What causes SCC?
A. Chronic exposure to sunlight causes most cases of SCC. As is the case with BCC, the tumors appear most frequently on sun-exposed parts of the body. However, SCCs may occur on all areas of the body including the mucous membranes and can eventually penetrate the underlying tissues if left untreated. SCCs that metastasize (spread) most often arise on sites of chronic inflammatory skin conditions or on the mucous membranes or lips. SCCs may also occur where skin has suffered injuries such as burns, scars, long-standing sores and infections. The rim of the ear and the lower lip are especially vulnerable.
Q. Who gets SCC?
A. People at highest risk have fair skin, blond or red hair and light eyes. SCC also strikes more than two-thirds of African Americans, a percentage usually preceded by pre-existing inflammatory skin conditions or burn injuries.
Melanoma
The Most Serious Form of Skin Cancer
Q. What causes Melanoma?
A. Melanoma is a cancer that arises from the pigment cells, or melanocytes, of the outer layer of skin. A heavy concentration of melanocytes that color our skin, hair and eyes is the breeding ground for the malignant tumor melanoma. Melanoma is more serious when it has penetrated deeply into the skin and may have traveled throughout the body. After a period of time, this type of cancer may extend into deeper layers of the skin. Some of these microscopic extensions may result in new tumor growths spreading to vital organs. If melanoma is diagnosed and removed while still thin and limited to the outermost skin layer, it is almost 100% curable.
Q. Who gets Melanoma?
A. The incidence of melanoma is rising faster than that of any other cancer. By 2010, melanoma is projected to rise to one in 50 Americans. While melanoma is uncommon in African Americans, Latinos and Asians, it is most deadly for these populations. Melanoma is the second most common cancer in women aged 20-29. In the past 20 years, there has been more than a 100% increase in the cases of pediatric melanoma later in life.
