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How Is Skin Cancer Caused

By: Adrian Fletcher Like all cancers, skin cancer is caused when the cells are exposed to some external environmental condition. This causes the cells, or more specifically the genes in the cell to mutate and become known as a oncogene. An oncogene promotes tumor growth.

In many cases of cancer it is not always clear what the environmental condition or conditions may be. In fact, it may not be just one condition that promotes cancer growth but a multitude of them making it harder to prevent the development of the disease. In the case of skin cancer, the environmental condition is thought to be exposure to ultraviolet radiation. And the most common source of ultraviolet radiation that most people are exposed to is sunlight.

However, the amount of sunlight that people can be exposed to before they develop symptoms of skin cancer seems to vary from person to person. Indeed the genetic makeup of a person also influences the chances of developing the disease. If your body has low amounts of melanin then you are more sensitive to sunlight and developing skin cancer. Melanin is the body's natural defense against too much sunlight. It turns the skin brown in the Sun.

People who have less melanin will have paler skin. This often means that the skin will not brown but go red in the sun. It will also burn if they spend too much time in the sun or don't protect their skin. Sunburn is obviously painful but it also indicates that the skin has been exposed to too much UV rays. It is the best way to develop cancerous growths on the skin. People with fair or red hair or light colored eyes are also sensitive to the sun.

Even if you do not fit this genetic makeup, you are still susceptible to skin cancer if your family has a history of developing the disease.

The effects of skin cancer can vary. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer. It will often look like a mark on the skin that could be brown or red. It may be raised from the skin or flat to begin with. It generally doesn't spread and is considered to be a benign cancer. It can appear anywhere on the body but mainly on areas that are directly exposed to the sunlight.

Squamous cell carcinoma is also found on parts of the body that come into contact with sunlight. This form of skin cancer is more likely to spread than basal cell carcinoma but it generally only spreads to the surrounding skin cells. Often the blemish or mark will look brown or red. This mark will get bigger over time as more cells become cancerous. It can also become scaly and develop scabs.

Melanoma are the third type of skin cancer. They are the most serious and rarest form of skin cancer. They can appear anywhere on the body and are not uncommon in parts of the body that are not normally exposed to the sun, like the feet. They could take the form of a brown spot that gets larger or simply a lump under the skin.

Of the three forms of skin cancer, melanoma is most likely to be malignant. This means it can grow at an uncontrollable rate and spread to other parts of the body. When this occurs it can become invasive, in that it will grow through other tissues or organs destroying them in the process. Even if it does not destroy organs, the melanoma can become so large that it prevents the organs from functioning properly.

If melanoma metastasizes throughout the body, treating it becomes extremely difficult thus early detection is key to melanoma treatment.

The best way to prevent skin cancer is to limit your exposure to UV rays. Protect your skin when in the Sun and avoid things like sun beds. Monitor your skin for any unusual lumps or marks. Watch for marks, blemishes or lesions that appear to be changing in shape, size or color. Consult your doctor or a skin specialist if this happens.