How To Find Out If You Have Skin Cancer

How To Find Out If You Have Skin Cancer
By Logan Pallas

The process of detecting skin cancer, the most common form of
cancer in the United States, can be practiced with a monthly
self examination combined with a yearly visit to your doctor.
Early detection is key because, if diagnosed soon enough, skin
cancer is almost always curable. 

There are three main types of skin cancer, all of which are
visible if you know what to look for. Melanoma, one of the main
forms of skin cancer, is the deadliest. This disease is the most
difficult to stop after it has spread throughout the body, which
is why early detection and treatment are crucial. Skin cancer,
of any kind, can usually be treated with success in it’s early
stages. 

As individuals, everyone has freckles, birthmarks and moles.
These are a part of you and you are used to seeing them, but you
may not notice slight changes right away and that’s what you
need to be watching for. Any change in a mole’s shape, edges,
size or color should be checked by a physician. If a mole
becomes larger than that of a pencil eraser or if it’s color is
multiple shades of brown rather than a solid color, these are
both potential warning signs of skin cancer. A mole’s border
should be well defined and, if that is no longer the case,
notify your doctor. In addition, any sore that will not heal or
a mole that grows larger at a rapid speed should be tested
immediately. 

Deciding to seek medical attention is difficult. For this
reason, it’s best to choose a physician that you are comfortable
with, such as a family doctor. He/she can examine your skin and
refer you to a dermatologist if needed. The presence of skin
cancer is determined by removing all, or part, of the
questionable area and testing it with a microscope. Surgery is
often utilized in the removal of ski and, if done in the
early stages, can be a very quick process. There will likely be
a scar, but the physician may be able to completely remove all
cancerous cells with only a very small incision. 

If the has spread, or is very large in the defined area,
additional surgery may be required. In that case, chemotherapy
or radiation treatments

may be ordered to ensure the is
completely removed. Your physician will be able to answer all
questions that you may have and should do so without reserve.
When meeting with a doctor, ask for an explanation of all
treatment options, including their likelihood for success in
your particular case. Deciding to seek medical attention is a
big step and one that a patient must be mentally prepared for. 

This article should not be construed as professional medical
advice. If you, or someone that you know, is concerned about the
possibility of cancer, you should seek medical attention
immediately. A medical doctor can discuss various options,
prevention and treatment possibilities should the presence of
cancer be detected. A series of tests may be conducted in order
to confirm, or rule out, any such diagnosis and can only be done
by a medical doctor.

About the Author: Dr. Logan Pallas is a researcher and
journalist. He maintains a skin resource directory at
http://www.skincancercure.info which contains many important
skin links. Feel free to reprint this article in its
entirety as long as the links, and resource box are not altered
in any way.

Source: http://www.isnare.com

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