Skin Cancer Prevalence
More than half of all Americans who live to age 65 will develop some form of skin cancer
Three types of skin cancer
Skin cancer is the world's most common cancer. Every year, 125,000 people die of skin cancer, which is equivalent to one person dying from the disease every four minutes. There are two main types of skin cancer: Non-melanoma skin cancer and Melanoma skin cancer. Non- melanoma skin cancer includes: Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC), Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) and some other rare types. Melanoma skin cancer is different since it develops from skin cells called melanocytes. Hence, the type of skin cancer a person gets is determined by where the cancer begins.
Melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma skin cancer is responsible for 60,000 deaths each year. The latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that annual deaths from melanoma will increase to 100,000 by 2040. Melanoma is more common in light skin people than in dark skin people. Dark skin people have more eumelanin while light skin people have more pheomelanin. While eumelanin has the ability to protect the skin from sun damage, pheomelanin does not. That's why people with darker skin are at lower risk for developing skin cancer than light skin people who are more susceptible to sun damage, burning and skin cancer. However, skin cancer can happen to anyone, regardless of skin tone. Melanoma frequently develops in a mole or suddenly appears as a new dark spot on the skin, since DNA damage from sunburns or tanning due to UV radiation triggers changes (mutations) in the skin cells; melanocytes, resulting in uncontrolled cellular growth. While Melanoma can arise nearly anywhere on the body, it is most likely to appear on the torso in men, the legs in women and the upper back in both. Melanoma is usually curable when detected and treated early. Once it has spread deeper into the skin or other parts of the body, it becomes more difficult to treat and can be deadly.
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
Basal Cell Carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer and the most frequently occurring form of all cancers. BCCs arise from abnormal, uncontrolled growth of basal cells. While anyone can develop BCC, it usually occurs in light- skinned patients older than 40 years. Patients with a history of repeated sun exposure are at risk for getting BCC. Other risk factors for BCC include light eyes and light hair, a history of blistering sunburns (particularly in childhood), or close relatives with skin cancer. BCCs are considered slow-growing tumours that almost never metastasize (spread to other parts of the body). Because BCCs grow slowly, most are curable and cause minimal damage when caught and treated early. Untreated BCCs have the potential to continue to grow and destroy surrounding skin and nearby structures leading to physical deformity.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)
Squamous Cell Carcinoma is the second most common type of skin cancer, characterised by abnormal, accelerated growth of squamous cells. SCCs are more likely to develop in people who have light skin, however it can also develop in people who have darker skin. SCC commonly arise and form in sun-exposed areas of the body such as the rim of the ear, face, neck, arms, chest, and back. SCC can grow deep into the skin, causing damage and disfigurement. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent SCC from growing deep and spreading to other areas of the body.
Although malignant melanoma accounts for only a small percentage of skin cancer, it is far more dangerous than other skin cancers and is the leading cause of death from skin disease.
Not all skin cancers are equal
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