Skin cancer screening: advantages and strangers
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, melanoma takes the life of one American every hour. The most tragic part of this statistic was that when this type of cancer detected at an early stage so that the first lymph nodes, survival rates five years as high as 99%. Because early detection is the key to successful treatment of this disease, screening procedures are encouraged for everyone, especially those who fall into the category of high risk for skin cancer.
Although skin cancer screening should be an important part of a healthy lifestyle for all individuals, those with risk factors for skin cancer you should especially diligent in the screening. These risk factors may also have fair skin, exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light for extended periods, numerous moles on the body or a family history of skin cancer.
Screening for skin cancer is usually a two-step process. The skin is examined by a doctor and as an area is suspected, a biopsy is often performed. The biopsy is an important step in the screening process, such as skin cancer can not be accurately diagnosed only apparent. Once the diagnosis is made, treatment can begin. The earlier treatment is started, the better the prognosis for the patient.
There are three types of skin cancer often diagnosed cancer, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma occur outer layers of the skin and are generally easier to treat when detected early. The third form of skin cancer, melanoma often occurs in the inner layers of the skin and accounts for 75% of deaths from skin cancer. E ‘this cancer that the screening of skin cancer are more focused on research, because early detection can increase survival.
There were also some risks associated with skin cancer screenings, according to the National Cancer Institute. Projections of cancer detection at a later stage can not improve the prognosis if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. There is also the risk of false results of these projections. A false positive can give a patient an unnecessary scare, while a false negative, the person handling delays. Biopsies are performed as part of the screening process can cause scarring or infection in some patients.
Despite the risks associated with skin cancer screening, the process is still highly recommended by the medical community as the best way to reduce deaths from this cancer. Screening is usually done annually or as recommended by the dermatologist of the patient as a means of early diagnosis and effective treatment.
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