Morbidity and mortality in skin cancer are mainly due to lack of awareness, late diagnosis and hindering socioeconomic barriers to access care. The best cancer treatment center in India is moving forward to timely diagnosis and medical procedures irrespective of the social hierarchy and ethnic backgrounds.
Causes Of Skin Cancer
Given below are the most prevalent causes of skin cancer, knowing which can help you avoid its incidence.
- Skin cancer develops mainly in sun-exposed areas such as the scalp, face, lips, chest, arms and legs.
- Frequent skin burns cause accumulation of UV radiation which leads to an increased risk of developing melanoma.
- Smoking also causes squamous cell carcinoma, particularly on the lips.
- Non-melanoma type of skin cancer develops due to the use of certain chemicals such as arsenic, tar, coal and paraffin oils.
- Radiation therapy also increases the risk of cancer on the exposed skin areas.
- Human papillomavirus HPV plays an important role in immunocompromised patients causing squamous cell carcinoma.
Is Skin Cancer Hereditary?
Skin cancer caused due to UV exposure is not considered inherited, but some genetic conditions do act as a risk factor for skin cancer.
For example, Xeroderma pigmentosum is an inherited condition where the skin is unable to repair UV damage, thus causing skin cancer at an early age. In addition, some people have a family history of developing skin cancer.
Signs And Symptoms Of Skin Cancer
Skin cancer should be treated as early as feasible. You must consult a doctor as soon as either of the following symptoms is observed:
- Red patches with irregular borders are persistent in nature. They may bleed on slight touch/irritation.
- Wart-like growth on the skin surface.
- A dysplastic Nevus is a precancerous form of mole.
- A mole transforming into melanoma is marked by colour modifications, increasing size, irregular borders, asymmetrical and other evolving changes.
13 Tips To Prevent Skin Cancer
It is truly said that prevention is better than cure. Therefore, even the top oncologists providing the best cancer treatment in India advise staying safe and aware of your lifestyle patterns to avoid such gruesome diseases.
Therefore, given below are the 13 excellent tips to prevent skin cancer beforehand:
- First, avoid getting sunburned or tanned.
- Prefer using SPF 15 or higher broad-spectrum sunscreen.
- Use shades whenever travelling between 10 am to 4 pm.
- Apply sunscreen 30 mins before going out. Reapply in case of excessive sweating or after swimming.
- Wear hats with wide brims along with shades to cover the eyes.
- Prefer clothes that cover the entire body, including arms and legs, to avoid exposure to UV radiation.
- Newborns should not be exposed to the sun for a longer duration of time.
- Examine the skin every month from head to toe. If any colour changes or irregularities, persistent in nature, are seen on the surface, visit a doctor.
- Avoid applying lotions, creams, perfumes or cosmetics in affected areas.
- Do not itch or wash off the irritated areas as it will adverse the condition.
- Notify the doctor in case of itching, dryness, drainage, bleeding etc.
- Visit a dermatologist at least once a year for a professional skin examination.
- Food rich in Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin C and carotenoids also helps to prevent cancers. Include leafy vegetables and fruits in your daily diet.
Looking For Skin Cancer Treatment In India?
India is known for advanced technology and the booming healthcare industry. The affordability and quality of medical treatment have made this country an international medical hub.
If you’re looking for the best cancer treatment in India, then Max Healthcare is an ideal choice. The treatment here is cheaper than the skin cancer treatment in western countries yet meets international standards.
Factors that bring out the promising results in treatment procedures here include:
- Highly qualified and experienced specialists
- Comprehensive oncology care
- State-of-the-art technology, etc.
Prognosis
The spread and staging of cancer generally determine the prognosis of the condition. There are three different forms of the spread of cancer.
- Localised form – Cancer has not spread to any other areas or beyond the skin from where it has started.
- Regional form – Cancer has spread to the local lymph nodes and to the underlying structures from where it has started.
- Distant form – Cancer has spread to distant body parts such as the liver, lungs or skin in other parts of the body.
Survival Rate
Survival rates depend upon the patient’s overall health, the spread of the disease, the patient’s response to the treatment procedures, etc.
According to research, five-year survival rates of skin cancer are:
- For the localised spread of cancer, the survival rate is 99%
- For the regional spread of cancer, the survival rate is 66%
- Distant forms have severe effects. Therefore the survival rate is much less that is 27%.
Conclusion
The alarming incidence rate of skin cancer calls for awareness of the multiple causative factors. Therefore, the implementation of a comprehensive cancer registry that incorporates environmental exposure and works on the root cause of the disease is a must.
