AUSCC

What is Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer is deemed any malignant growth that may manifest on the skin. There are three major types of skin cancers which include melanoma, basal cell cancer and squamos cell cancer. Because the tumours will usually develop on the epidermis or the outermost layer of the skin, identifying the cancerous growth is relatively easy. Skin cancer is very prevalent and is the most apparent cancer in human populations. However it has a significantly lower incidence of death because of the probability that it will be discovered in the early phases of the disease. Melanoma is the most destructive kind of skin cancer but is less prevalent than the two other forms of this disease. In many manifestations of the disease, the cancer does not always advance immediately or at all.

What causes Skin Cancer?

There are quite a few established causes of skin cancer. The most widely accepted cause is over exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays or sunlight. The list below discusses some of the main causes:

• Suffering from any deficiency of the immune system, that is having a condition that subjects you to lessened immune system function, will elevate the risk for developing skin cancer. This decrease in the ability of the immune system to function may also be as a result of consuming drugs to fight an autoimmune disease or after having an organ transplant. These drugs will be used to lessen the immune system response in the case of autoimmune diseases that promote the immune system to attack its own cells and organs, for example in people with lupus. These drugs are also utilized after an organ transplant to make certain that the body will not reject the newly transplanted organ.

• Being exposed to abnormally high levels of X-rays may induce the development of skin cancer.

• Using tanning booths to maintain an artificial tan has been broadly accepted as a probable cause of the disease.

• There are some chemicals that have been discovered to induce the development of skin cancers. These will chiefly include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and arsenic. It is speculated that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons may possibly be inhaled because of low levels of contamination in the air, consumed in foods and by making contact with any surface that is saturated with the chemical.

• Some people are said to be at a higher risk, such as lighter skinned people, people with blond or red hair and green or blue eyes. Having freckles or being prone to sun burn may also heighten a person’s risk for developing this type of cancer.

• Having a genetic abnormality that does not allow the development of pigment can increase the risk for the disease. These disorders include albinism and xeroderma pigmentosum.

• If an individual has already had skin cancer the risk is increased.

• If you had at least one very extreme case of sunburn in childhood the risk for developing this type of cancer is higher.

• Having a family history of the disease is also a well known risk factor.

• If you have several moles these can become cancerous growths on the skin’s surface. Some individuals choose to have any moles removed to decrease the likelihood that they will develop into cancerous growths.

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that comes about when the body’s immune system starts to attack its own tissues and organs. The inflammation that results from lupus can affect several areas throughout the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart and lungs.

Lupus is far more often observed in women than in men but no clear connection for this observation has been identified. There are four types of lupus in existence these are: systemic lupus erythematosus, discoid lupus erythematosus, drug-induced lupus erythematosus and neonatal lupus. Of the types identified, systemic lupus erythematosus is by far the most widespread and serious form of lupus.

The outlook for people with this disease was very poor in the past however improvements in the diagnosis and treatment methods employed for lupus has remarkably enhanced the likelihood of surviving with the condition. Once the disease is treated most people with the disease can lead normal lives.

Because it is an autoimmune disease, it not only attacks foreign substances that may enter the body, such as bacteria and viruses, but also triggers the immune system to attack healthy tissue. As said before this brings about inflammation and resultant damage to different sections of the body, inclusive of the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels and brain.

It is not yet known what causes the disease, like other autoimmune diseases it remains a mystery. It is speculated that it is the result of a combination of factors, most notably, the patient’s genes and the environment. Some experts also think that a person may inherit a predisposition to lupus, but not the actual disease itself. Instead, people with this probable inherited predisposition for the disease may only develop the condition when they make some form of contact with something in the environment that may trigger lupus, including some types of medication or a virus.

The disease does not always develop in the same way for all individuals affected by the disease . Signs and symptoms may appear suddenly or develop gradually. They may be mild or severe, and may be temporary with fluctuating bouts of the associated symptoms or permanent. Most people affected by lupus have a mild form of the disease characterized by episodes which are deemed flares when signs and symptoms are worsened for a short period, then improve or even disappear completely for some time.

The signs and symptoms of lupus that an individual will experience will largely depend on the areas of the body that are affected by the condition. However the more typical signs and symptoms may include any of the following:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Memory loss

• Fatigue

• Fever

• Weight loss or gain

• Fingers and toes that turn white or blue during exposure to cold or during stressful periods. This is called Raynaud’s phenomenon.

• Joint pain, stiffness and swelling

• Butterfly-shaped rash or malar rash on the face that covers sections of the cheeks and the bridge of the nose

• Skin lesions that appear and are actually worsened by sun exposure

• Mouth sores

• Hair loss (alopecia)

• Shortness of breath

• Chest pain

• Dry eyes

• Easy bruising

Once an individual develops an unexplained rash, ongoing fever, persistent aching or fatigue, he or she should consult a doctor to rule out the possibility that it could be lupus.

Once a person has been diagnosed with lupus, he or she should have routine consultations with a doctor so that the condition can be treated and monitored properly. Also any new symptoms should be assessed immediately.