To detect cancer of skin

The most aggressive cancer of skin is without any doubt the melanomist. Indeed, if this tumour isn’t discovered in time, its exit is often fatal. The sun plays a considerable part in its appearance. The intense exposure to the rays of the sun to very young age can in particular increase the risk considerably to be reached about it one day.

The roadbase of the skin is composed of two types of cells. Cells of skin which ensure the construction of skin and cells of pigmentation which manufacture mélanine, itself at the origin of bronzing.

Cells of skin

Cancer of skin generally attacks cells of skin. It is generally about carcinome basocellulaire which is characterized by a light bump, presenting a chain of pearls, which emerges in face, nape of neck or on ears. It can also appear in shape of spot pink-brown on chest or back. The characteristic of this tumour is that it can be ulcerated. Fortunately, it can be easily cured.

In addition, cells of skin can also be touched by carcinome spinocellulaire. It appears by the appearance of a small bump or of a red spot, lasts, generally in face, nape of the neck, on ears, hands or arms. This cancer is less frequent, but is cured with difficulty. It generally touches people starting from around fifty.

Five letters to be wary
The cells of pigmentation can also be touched by the cancer of the skin. More particularly by the most aggressive form: the melanomist. This tumour is, from the beginning, extremely serious and can, in an early stage, to extend towards other bodies like the liver, the lungs or the brain. If the melanomist is not detected in time, its exit is often mortal.

The melanomist touches more woman that man. Among woman, it generally appears by spots on the legs; at the man, these spots generally appear on the back, the head and in the neck. The tumour can appear on a skin without any pigmented spot, but generally emerges nevertheless by the means of the spots of birth, the wine spots or the preexistent beauty spots. In oneself, these small points pigmented on the skin are however inoffensive. However, if they change color, of form, thickness or size, or if they start to itch, ulcerate themselves or bleed, they can develop and be a signe of malignant melanomist.

To recognize a melanomist, the rule of the ABCDE today is used. It describes all the typical characteristics of the spot which announces a cancer of skin (see table below).
Asymmetry: the spot is of irregular form.
Edges: they have, generally, no precise form and are notched, with pigmented spots dark and convex on the skin. Color: the spot presents different tons (of white, pink, red or even blue until brown, gray the or black one).
Diameter: it measures generally more than 5 millimetres.
Evolution: its form, its color or its size vary with the wire of time.

Risk factors
The melanomist is supported by the ultraviolet rays of the sun and the solar benches. Although cancer can touch everyone, you must especially be careful if:
• have you a clear skin or if you have fair or russet-red hair
• your skin burns easily
• you have more than one about fifty spots pigmented on the skin
• the one of the members of your family already had a melanomist
• be often exposed to you to the sun
• you were flaring several times seriously by the sun during your childhood.

The last data state more and more that this last risk factor increases considerably the probability of developing a melanomist. It is especially the case if the sunstrokes were undergone during childhood or youth, if they were accompanied by the formation of blisters and occurred several times. This higher risk cannot unfortunately be isolated, nor compensated when once adult, we adopts behaviors responsible in terms for exposure to the sun.

The examination
The more quickly melanomist is diagnosed, the more it is likely there to be able to cure some. Early tracking is thus essential. It can be done, inter alia, by controlling oneself its skin regularly. We will never insist enough on the importance to supervise his spots and their evolution. Such a behavior should even be regarded as an essential gesture of hygiene of life, for its health. The parents should learn very early with their children how to recognize by themselves the suspect spots on their skin, just like they learn to them, for example, to brush the teeth daily.

Not neglect any part of body

The ideal is to start to regularly control the skin as of puberty, and more particularly in the young people who count a great number of pigmented spots. For this examination, it is necessary to pay a very detailed attention to the spots which appeared suddenly and which seem suspect.
The whole body must be examined. Because, even if that remains exceptional, the melanomist can appear in the mucous membranes (for example in the mouth, the eyes, the vagina), under the nails of the fingers and the toes, on the palm of the hand and the plant of the feet. For even more effectiveness, we recommend to practise this examination of the skin with the assistance of another person. Because even by using mirrors, some zones of the body remain inaccessible if one only looks at… If you notice spots which seem to you suspect on your skin, as soon as possible announce it to your doctor.

The medical research

Certain people at the risk advisedly act, while making, in addition to one regular examination, a control in a dermatologist. It is for example the case for those which have a spot of birth very wide. Because they predispose more with cancer of skin, these spots are often removed during puberty. If it isn’t the case, it is better whereas they are checked annual by a dermatologist. These follow-up examinations are also recommended if, during your childhood, you underwent more than five times of the serious sunstrokes, if you have many freckles and wine spots or if a member of your family already had a cancer of skin.

Surgery with the rescue

If a melanomist is discovered, an surgical operation must be carried out as soon as possible and cannot be deferred. It is about a measure of precaution intended to prevent that the tumour does not extend to the vital bodies. The early tumour is discovered, the treatment will be more effective simple.