Is There a Cure for Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in humans, and it affects millions of people across the globe every year. This cancer is caused by over-exposure to the sun, radiation, carcinogens, and aging. There are three types: basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. All three pose a serious risk to your health, but melanoma is the most dangerous. Skin cancer is relatively easy to detect because it comes in the form of skin discoloration and abnormally colored or shaped moles; indeed, most skin cancer victims discover their condition on their own just by examining their skin (however, a diagnosis can only be made by a doctor).

Since many people are desperate to maintain their golden brown tans year in and year out, skin cancer remains a potent threat to public health because most people are not willing to take the link between sun exposure and UV rays and the development of skin cancer seriously-tanning is in and trendy, and people don't like going against the aesthetic curve. However, being an avid sun bather does not automatically lead to skin cancer, and it isn't the only cause. Skin cancer can also be caused by damaging free radicals from carcinogens and the unavoidable effects of ageing. Still, the best method of avoidance is to stay out of the sun or use only a strong sunscreen when out in the sun. Keep in mind that the decreasing ozone layer makes it more and more dangerous to soak up UV rays on the beach.

As with all forms of cancer, everyone wants to know: Is there a cure for skin cancer? Last year, a study conducted in the UK by researchers from Rush University Medical School in Chicago showed that a vaccine developed was able to completely cure 16% of those who used it and who were infected with advanced melanoma; for the rest of the group, the vaccine greatly improved the user's chance of remission. This does not definitively prove that skin cancer can always be cured, but it makes curing it an option. In addition to pharmaceutical cancers medication, there are many topical ointments that have been shown to relieve skins cancer. Cymilium, an over the counter insect bite remedy, has been shown to improve it's symptoms, and a variety of natural remedies such as aloe vera and vitamin D are also used. If you have skin cancer, any course of treatment you undertake should be at least discussed if not approved by a doctor, but whether you are interested in natural medicine or pharmaceutical-driven medicine, the chances of completely curing your cancer are slim, so in that sense, both sides of the medical aisle are worth a try.

Maureen Hamilton is an Integrated Neuro-Linguistic Programming Master Practitioner, Hypnotherapist and a Demartini Method Facilitator. Maureen has previously worked in many areas of health in Australia as well as overseas. Her health background includes training in general and midwifery nursing, mental health and children's behavioural issues (including the effects of emotional trauma especially in children). Maureen is very much involved in promoting and assisting people to obtain optimal health and is absolutely committed to helping people to stop smoking and/or lose weight naturally using Hypnosis and NLP.

If you would like to find out more, visit http://masteryourlifepower.com and and talk to Maureen about your requirements.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Maureen_Hamilton/645604

Skin Cancer and Alternative to Mohs Surgery

It is estimated that over 1 million new cases occur annually. It has also been estimated that nearly half of all Americans who live to age 65 will develop skin cancer at least once. The two most common forms of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. They account for approximately 96% of all diagnosed skin cancers. Together, these two are also referred to as nonmelanoma skin cancer.

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer and accounts for more than 90% of all skin cancer in the U.S. These cancers almost never spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. They can, however, cause damage by growing and invading surrounding tissue. Squamous cell carcinoma is cancer that begins in the squamous cells, which are thin, flat cells that look like fish scales under the microscope. Squamous cells are found in the tissue that forms the surface of the skin, the lining of the hollow organs of the body, and the passages of the respiratory and digestive tracts. Thus, squamous cell carcinomas can actually arise in any of these tissues. Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin occurs roughly one-quarter as often as basal cell carcinoma.

A surgical method that is often used to treat nonmelanoma skin cancer is called Mohs surgery. This highly specialized surgical technique involves first removing the visible tumor and then successive layers of skin one at a time until microscopic examination no longer reveals cancer cells. This surgery is performed while the patient is under local anesthesia. Removing and examining each layer takes about one hour, with much of this time spent looking at the removed skin. When done, the surgical wound is treated as needed. The treatment can include closing the wound with stitches, covering the surgical site with skin from another area of the body (skin graft), and moving healthy skin from a nearby area to cover the surgical wound (skin flap).

But, Mohs surgery is not the only way to successfully treat skin cancers? Surgery on the nose, ears, eyelids or lips may cause disfigurement or require reconstructive surgery under a general anesthetic to maintain the natural appearance. Brachytherapy with the Flexitron system is an effective alternative treatment for BCC (Basel Cell Carcinoma) and SCC (Squamous Cell Carcinoma) skin cancer and avoids the need for reconstructive surgery. It also has its advantages over surgery for patients with a large number of lesions, elderly patients, or patients who are otherwise inoperable, and advantages over external beam radiotherapy as it requires shorter treatment times and less side effects.

Leonard A. Farber M.D. is the founder of The Farber Center for Radiation Oncology

To find out more please got to http://www.thefarbercenter.com/cancers/skin.php or call us at 212 300-0663.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Leonard_A._Farber,_M.D./1093538

Skin Cancer Can Be a Serious Aliment

"Of all the bad classes of cancer you have the worst." The surgeon said. "You have the dreaded squamous cell carcinoma.This type of cancer releases hundreds of "cancer seeds".

These seeds float around in the blood veins and the lymphatic system. They will find a new place to set up another cancer tumor."

This comment has been ringing in my ears ever since that terrible day.

Cancer has always been a word I dreaded.

My parents told me, "You should only talk about cancer in a whisper. Do not talk about it lightly. Don't make jokes about cancer or you will get it".

I found this spot on my cheek. It was a light brown color. It had an elevated point in the middle of the circle. My medical doctor said it was just a mosquito bite. The lesion continued to grow bigger.

So my wife and I went to check with our skin doctor.

He agreed that it appeared to be an insect bite. "But to be sure, let's do a biopsy," he declared.

He cut a small piece of the skin from the elevated area. The skin sample went into a glass receptacle and went to the cancer laboratory.

Dr. Hernandez told my wife, "Return next Friday".

I was calm, cool and collected. I had a certain lucky streak. The analysis always came back negative.

The next Friday I was confident. It could not be cancer. Doctor Hernandez motioned for us to sit down when we entered his office. He did not ask about the kids. He did not even complain about the hot weather.

He went right to the point, "You have cancer"!

I froze in my tracks. The first thing I thought of, "I have not made my Last Will and Testament". I was in shock. This cannot be true. There must be a mistake. I want a second opinion.

We made an appointment with the cancer surgeon, Dr Sanchez, for the next Friday.

The surgeon, with his long white jacket, entered the room and said, "Hi."

The doctor went right to work. He cleansed the area with some liquid that smelled like a hospital operating room. It burned my skin mildly. He made a circle around the area with a black crayon.

Then he injected anesthesia some twenty-five times around the circle area. Next, he grabbed his scalpel and started to cut my cheek. He removed the first layer of tissue and sent it off to the laboratory for biopsy.

I felt no pain, and there was little bleeding. Finally, the technician came back with the "all clear" sign.

I could not imagine how he was going to fill that hole left by the surgery. This doctor just kept sewing around the hole, pulling the skin together until the hole was all covered. My Mom did the same procedure when she patched a hole in my britches.

Dr. Sanchez gave my wife a solution to apply twice a day. "I will see you next Friday to cut the stitches," he added.

There were no antibiotics, no white bandage for the kids to put their auto gram, no prescription to be filled.

"Just wash the area with soap and water daily," was the surgeon's parting comment.

Find more information about the interesting experiences I and other Ezine authors have had with skin cancer. Skin cancer is not as simple as it may seem. My site fat-ape.org has more valuable information. [http://fat-ape.org]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Samuel_W._Metz/1383344