Our second letter in our acronym for the signs of cancer is A. As far as signs of cancer, this stands for a sore that won’t heal. First, if you have diabetes or other conditions that affect healing, a sore that won’t heal isn’t necessarily indicative of any signs of cancer. Sometimes, it could be something as simple as the method in which you are trying to heal the sore or the amount of protein you consume. At other times, the lack of healing could be caused by the amount of alcohol you consume. As always, the signs of cancer we discuss are only a way for individuals to become more aware and hopefully be more able to detect these signs of cancer sooner for a more positive prognosis.
The scariest part about skin cancer is the fact that it is the most common of all cancers. As a matter of fact, skin cancer accounts for almost 50% of all cancers! Over 2 million people each year will be diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer, and over 60,000 people will be diagnosed with melanoma. In a bit, we will discuss the signs of cancer for the skin. However, let’s first take a quick look at what these types of cancer are.
There are basically 2 types of non-melanoma skin cancer; basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinomas. These cells are most vulnerable because of where they are located, on the bottom of the outer layer of the skin. Skin cancers of these types are most common on the places sun light touches the most: face, lips, ears, the neck, and the back of your hands. There is some good news though, these types of cancer rarely spread to other parts of the body. These types of cancer may be cured if they are found early, that is why it is so important to spot the signs of cancer no matter what kind of cancer it is.
Inside of your skin is a dark pigment that is meant to protect you from the sun’s harmful rays named melanin. Melanoma affects these cells and that is where this dangerous cancer stems from. Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer and accounts for most skin cancer deaths. Spotting the signs of cancer for melanoma is a positive thing, as always. If you can spot it soon enough, it is almost always curable.
Now back to the signs of cancer for the skin. Most obviously, the first signs of cancer for the skin are any weird change. Things to look for are:
- A brand new sore that just doesn’t seem to heal.
- A lump that has an appearance like: waxy, scaly, or smooth and shiny.
- Oozing or bleeding from a reddened lump.
- Itching or changes in sensation to a portion of your skin.
- Spreading pigmentation, or darker skin, beyond what is normal for the area.
The best news about this type of cancer…….IT CAN BE PREVENTED!! Try to stay out of the sun between extreme daylight hours. You can wear a hat and cover as much skin as possible to decrease your exposure. Sunscreen? Absolutely! Don’t be afraid to put on sunscreen. Choose a high SPF sun screen and apply it anytime you will be exposed to the sun for extended periods of time. Even when there is cloud coverage, UV rays can travel through them. Just because it’s cloudy outside doesn’t mean you don’t have to worry. Try to wear wrap around sun glasses to protect your eyes.
Doing these things and watching to spot the signs of cancer for the skin will give you a step up in the stop of this dangerous disease. If you don’t find what you are looking for on my site, you can always do a custom search at the top and bottom of the page. I have excluded the mumbo jumbo and left the search to only cancer and related issued. Signs of cancer may appear at anytime in life. Stay motivated!