Skin cancers originate in the skin due to abnormal cell growth. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer and can be cured effectively if diagnosed and treated early. Read more: How Is Skin Cancer Caused? Article
Multimedia: Slideshows, Images & Quizzes
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Skin Cancer Symptoms, Types, Images
Discover the causes, types, and treatments of skin cancer. Learn how to prevent skin cancer and how to check for melanoma, basal...
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Ways to Protect Yourself From Skin Cancer
The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage your skin and eyes and raise your chances for skin cancer. Here are the top ways to...
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Sun-Damaged Skin: See Sun Spots, Wrinkles, Sunburns, Skin Cancer
See how sun damaged skin can cause wrinkles, moles, melanoma (skin cancer) and more. Explore images of squamous cell carcinoma...
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Picture of Less Common Skin Cancers
Merkel cell carcinoma. Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare malignant cancer that usually begins as a single painless lump on the...
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Melanoma (Skin Cancer) Quiz: Symptoms & Signs
What causes skin cancer? Take our Skin Cancer Quiz to learn about the risks, symptoms, causes, and treatments for this common...
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Picture of Skin Cancer
Excessive exposure to sunlight is the main cause of skin cancer. See a picture of Skin Cancer and learn more about the health...
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Unexpected Places You Can Get Skin Cancer
Your skin is one of the most common places to get cancer. Sometimes it appears in places you might not expect, like under your...
SLIDESHOW
Skin Cancer Symptoms, Types, Images See SlideshowRelated Disease Conditions
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Skin Cancer
Skin cancers occur when skin cells undergo malignant transformations and grow into tumors. The most common types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, are highly curable when they are diagnosed and treated early. Sun exposure, tanning beds, depressed immune system, radiation exposure, and certain viral infections are risk factors for skin cancer. Skin cancers are treated with surgery or radiation. The prognosis of nonmelanoma skin cancers is generally very good.
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Skin Cancer and Sun Damage
Second Source WebMD Medical Reference
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Melanoma (Skin Cancer)
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer which begins in skin cells called melanocytes and affects more than 53,600 people in the United States each year. These melanocytes can grow together to form benign moles which, after a change in size, shape, or color can be a sign of melanoma. Caused by sun exposure, early detection becomes extremely important to avoid a spread to other areas of the body. Diagnosis is confirmed through a biopsy of the abnormal skin and treatment depends on the extent and characteristics of the patient. Metastatic melanoma is melanoma that has spread to various organs.
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What Can Be Mistaken for Skin Cancer?
Here are 5 skin conditions that often mimic skin cancer, which include psoriasis, sebaceous hyperplasia, seborrheic keratosis, nevus, and cherry angioma.
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Does Skin Cancer Hurt to the Touch?
Skin cancer is the commonest type of cancer in the United States. The skin is the largest organ in the body with a surface area of around 2 sq ft in an average adult.
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Is Skin Cancer Itchy at First?
Skin cancers arise from the skin due to abnormal growth of skin cells. Skin cancer is the common form of cancer in the United States and can be cured effectively if diagnosed and treated in time. Most often, skin cancer develops in parts of the body exposed to the sun, such as the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms and hands and legs (in women).
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Does Skin Cancer Kill You?
Skin cancer is the abnormal and uncontrolled growth of skin cells. Skin cancer usually arises on skin exposed to the sun, such as the face, lips, ears, scalp, neck, chest, arms and hands and on the legs, especially in women. Malignant melanoma is a highly aggressive skin cancer that tends to spread to other parts of the body. All other types of skin cancers have the potential to be locally invasive and spread to other parts of the body. Nonmelanoma skin cancers are comparatively less aggressive.
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Can You Die From Skin Cancer?
Around 2,000 people die each year from basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer, while 7,000 people die from melanoma skin cancer.
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What Are the Warning Signs of Skin Cancer?
Warning signs of skin cancer include new or changing moles, red or itchy patches, lumps, or other unusual growths on the skin.
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What Are the Main Types of Skin Cancer?
Types of skin cancer include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, sebaceous gland carcinoma, and more.
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How Do I Know if It’s Skin Cancer?
Skin cancer can be detected by examining yourself regularly for signs such as new moles or growths as well as changes in size, color, texture or appearance of existing moles.
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What Are the Four Main Causes of Skin Cancer?
Most skin cancers occur due to repeated and prolonged exposure to the ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight. Also, artificial sources, such as tanning beds, can cause skin cancer. UV rays can damage the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) inside the skin cells. DNA is the source of instructions for everything that cells do.
Treatment & Diagnosis
Medications & Supplements
Prevention & Wellness
- New Drug Might Be Non-Surgical Option for Common Skin Cancers
- Many 'High-Risk' Americans Unconcerned About Skin Cancer: Poll
- Many Americans Wrong About Sun's Skin Cancer Dangers: Poll
- Protect Yourself From Sun to Prevent Skin Cancer
- Shun the Sun to Prevent Skin Cancer
- Health Tip: Identifying Melanoma
- With Summer Here, Check for Signs of Skin Cancer
- How to Do a Skin Cancer Body Check
- Health Tip: Help Prevent Skin Cancer
- Health Tip: Protect Against Skin Cancer
- Skin Cancer: Young Adults Get It, Too
- Skin Cancer Rates Rise for Hispanic, Asian Women
- Skin Cancer Prevention Tips
- Skin Cancer May Have Driven Evolution of Black Skin
- Skin Cancer Risk Seen in Vietnam Vets Exposed to Agent Orange
- 1 in 3 Americans Has Used Tanning Beds, Upping Skin Cancer Risk
- Skin Cancer Patients Not Avoiding Sun, Study Suggests
- Pictures May Help Encourage Skin Cancer Self-Exams
- Health Tip: Check for Skin Cancer
- HPV Might Raise Risk of Form of Skin Cancer
- Smoking Might Raise Your Odds for Skin Cancer
- Preventing Skin Cancer in Youths: Appeal to Vanity
- Smoking Linked to Skin Cancer in Women
- Coffee Fights Common Skin Cancer
- Skin Cancer on the Rise
- HPV Viruses Linked to Skin Cancer
- Few Over 50 Get Skin Cancer Screenings
- Broccoli May Help Fight Skin Cancer
- Skin Cancer Linked to Frequent Driving
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