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Skin Cancer
Thousands of clinical compensation claims are initiated every year in the United Kingdom by medical negligence solicitors on behalf of people from all walks of life. A multitude of operations and procedures are executed successfully however a small percentage do go wrong, laying the grounds for medical negligence solicitors to take legal action in order to claim compensation. Both legal aid and the no win no fee scheme are available to pursue medical negligence compensation claims.
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With the sun being stronger and more people moving to warm climates, the incidence of skin cancer is rising. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the US. Fortunately, only one type of skin cancer is considered "deadly" so that most people survive their bout with skin cancer. Even so, doctors recommend that you do not use tanning booths and that you use sun block whenever you are out in the sun.
There are three main types of skin cancer. Squamous cell cancer is a cancer common in older people. It looks like scaly patches on the skin and often occurs on the face and hands or arms. It rarely travels to other body areas and is rarely fatal. Basal cell cancer occurs also on the face and hands or arms. It looks like a dome-shaped pearly lesion that never travels to other body places. It can be removed easily as long as it doesn't grow deeply in the skin.
Malignant melanoma is a severe form of skin cancer that can be deadly. It is usually dark-brown, bluish or black-and can show up on any body part, especially the back and abdomen. It can easily travel to other body areas (metastasize) and can kill sufferers of this type of skin cancer. It often has irregular coloration and an irregular border. It can occur in almost any skin area and mucus membrane of the body, including inside the mouth, nose, anus or vagina.
Skin cancer usually develops on sun-exposed skin and can include the face, lips, ears, neck, scalp, chest, hands and arms. It can develop on the legs in women but some cases present with cancer on the palm, beneath the fingernails and in the spaces that show up between the toes. The genital area can be involved, especially with melanoma. When melanoma happens in those with dark skin, it is more common to have it occur in areas of the body that aren't normally thought of as being sun-exposed.
Less common skin cancers are all possible, including Kaposi Sarcoma, a skin cancer common in those with immunodeficiency syndromes, such as those with HIV or AIDS. People who've had organ transplantation or who are of Mediterranean descent are at a greater likelihood of getting Kaposi sarcoma. Merkel cell cancer involves the formation of shiny nodules just beneath the skin or in hair follicles. It is usually found on sun exposed areas. Sebaceous gland cancer of the skin is very aggressive and begins in the oil glands of the skin. It is common to have this type of cancer on the eyelids.
The most major cause of skin cancer is exposure to UV radiation found in tanning booths and in exposure to the sun. Other factors must come into play, however, because not all skin cancers are exposed to these things before starting.
Risk factors for skin cancer include having fair skin, including those with blond hair or red hair with light colored eyes. If you easily sunburn or get freckles with sun exposure, skin cancer is more likely than average. Those with a history of frequent sunburns are more likely to get skin cancer. Excessive exposure to the sun can damage the skin, even if you don't regularly sun burn. If you live in a high altitude area, you are at high risk for too much sun and skin cancer as a result. Moles, too, can turn into skin cancer quite easily. Other precancerous lesions of the skin include actinic keratoses, which are areas of sun damage that are flat and dark, occurring on sun exposed areas. If you have a family history of skin cancer, you are at a greater risk of skin damage and skin cancer. Exposure to arsenic can increase skin cancer risk. Weakened immune systems predispose you to skin cancer and the older you are, the more likely it is to get skin cancer.
Doctors diagnose skin cancer by examining the skin and doing a skin biopsy. The skin biopsy can tell what kind of skin cancer you have and can determine the course of treatment. Skin cancer can be localized to a single area on the skin, particularly with squamous cell and basal cell cancer. It can also be metastatic and will spread to other body areas. This can happen with squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. Malignant melanoma can involve lymph nodes and distant tissues.
The treatment of skin cancer depends on the type of skin cancer. For example, actinic keratoses and small sizes of basal cell and squamous cell cancer can be treated by freezing or by laser surgery. Excisional surgery involves removing the skin cancer surgically and getting some healthy tissue around it removed as well. Mohs surgery is used for melanoma and involves removing the tumor layer by layer until no tumor is left. Curettage can be done in thin basal cell cancers and radiation therapy is possible, especially with melanoma. Chemotherapy can be used in melanomas and in the treatment of advanced squamous cell cancer.