Skin Cancer
Skin Cancer Facts
The skin is the largest organ of the body. It has several jobs including covering your internal organs and protecting them from injury, serving as a barrier between germs, and preventing the loss of too much water and other fluids. The skin regulates your body temperature and certain cells in your skin communicate with your brain allowing you to feel sensations.
Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. During our lifetime, one in five Americans will develop a basal or squamous cell carcinoma while one in seventy-five will develop a melanoma. A rate that has doubled in the last twenty years, skin cancer accounts for nearly half of all cancers in the United States and more than two million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are found in this country each year.
Since the number of skin cancer cases in the United States is growing at such an alarming rate, fortunately increased awareness has resulted in earlier diagnosis and improved outcomes. It is strongly recommended that you undergo at least one total body skin exam each year where your skin surface and moles are thoroughly examined. The frequency of examinations should be determined by your skin’s condition and your personal and family history of skin cancer and melanoma. If you are concerned that you might have skin cancer, contact us today and with each first-time body check we will teach you how to recognize the early warning signs of cancer. We will take a biopsy of any suspicious lesions and send them out for a histopathologic examination. All mole and skin cancer surgeries are performed in our office under local anesthesia, as is Mohs Micrographic Surgery. Dr. Tabas is board-certified by the American Board of Mohs Surgery and the American Board of Dermatology so you should feel confident you would be receiving the best treatment possible to avoid becoming a skin cancer statistic.
Skin Cancer Overview
Although the number of skin cancers in the United States continues to rise, because of public awareness more skin cancers are being caught earlier which means they are easier to treat and this decreases the death rate. When treated properly, the cure rate for both basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is approaching 95%. Recurrences of these cancers are almost always local but they often cause significant tissue destruction. Less than 1% of squamous cell carcinomas will eventually spread elsewhere in the body and turn into dangerous cancer. In most cases, the outcome of malignant melanoma depends on the thickness of the tumor at the time of treatment.
Thin lesions are almost always cured by simple surgery alone. Thicker tumors, which usually have been present for some time but have gone undetected, may spread to other organs. Surgery will remove the tumor and any local spread, but it cannot remove distant metastasis. Other therapies, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy, are used to treat the metastatic tumors. Malignant melanoma causes more than 75% of deaths from skin cancer and thousands of people die from this cancer each year.
Being diagnosed with skin cancer presents many new challenges for you. You will experience many worries wondering how skin cancer will affect you and your ability to “live a normal life.” It is common to feel anxious, depressed, angry, resentful, helpless, and even defeated but for most people, talking about your feelings and concerns will help. If you find yourself in this situation, please call us today and schedule an appointment with Dr. Tabas. Her experience and expertise in the field of skin cancer will assure you that together, working as a team, everything possible will be done to achieve a positive and rewarding outcome.
