Oncology & Cancer

Melanoma misconception: Dark skin tones at risk, too

The myth that people with dark skin are immune to melanoma, a type of skin cancer, has persisted for many years. It's a dangerous misconception that has caused some people not to be diligent about protecting themselves against ...

Oncology & Cancer

Skin cancer survivors: How to stay safe in the sunshine

For many people, playing and relaxing in the sun is fun. But for skin cancer survivors, the sun can be a source of fear and anxiety. That's because sun exposure is one of the most significant risk factors for developing skin ...

Oncology & Cancer

Cancer may lurk in 'normal looking' skin

A University of Queensland study has found skin with few visible freckles or blemishes may still carry sun-damaged DNA mutations that can trigger cancer. Researchers from UQ's Frazer Institute Dermatology Research Center ...

Oncology & Cancer

Dermatologists detect the world's smallest skin cancer

A tiny spot on Christy Staats's cheek measured just 0.65 millimeters—or 0.025 inches—and was almost invisible to the human eye. But with help from state-of-the-art non-invasive technology, an OHSU dermatologist and a ...

Oncology & Cancer

Men need to take melanoma seriously

It's only April, but many people across the country and the globe are already enjoying summerlike temperatures. But getting out in the sun also increases your risk of getting skin cancer.

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Skin neoplasms (also known as "skin cancer") are skin growths with differing causes and varying degrees of malignancy. The three most common malignant skin cancers are basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, and melanoma, each of which is named after the type of skin cell from which it arises. Skin cancer generally develops in the epidermis (the outermost layer of skin), so a tumor can usually be seen. This means that it is often possible to detect skin cancers at an early stage. Unlike many other cancers, including those originating in the lung, pancreas, and stomach, only a small minority of those affected will actually die of the disease, though it can be disfiguring. Melanoma survival rates are poorer than for non-melanoma skin cancer, although when melanoma is diagnosed at an early stage, treatment is easier and more people survive.

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer. Melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers combined are more common than lung, breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer. Melanoma is less common than both basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, but it is the most serious — for example, in the UK there were over 11,700 new cases of melanoma in 2008, and over 2,000 deaths. It is the second most common cancer in young adults aged 15–34 in the UK. Most cases are caused by over-exposure to UV rays from the sun or sunbeds. Non-melanoma skin cancers are the most common skin cancers. The majority of these are basal cell carcinomas. These are usually localized growths caused by excessive cumulative exposure to the sun and do not tend to spread.

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