Skin cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer and one that people can in some cases protect themselves. There are three different types of skin cancer that make up approximately 99% of skin cancer cases; they are; 1) Basal Cell Carcinoma, 2) Squamous Cell Carcinoma and 3) Melanoma.

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common of the skin cancers and accounts for about 80% of skin cancer cases. This type of cancer can appear as a sore that heals and reopens, a protuberance that can be shiny or translucent. It can also appear as a pink colored growth or a reddish colored patch of skin that is irritated. This type of cancer usually can be found on the head, neck, face, ears, and upper chest and is the effect of over exposure to the sun. This type of cancer can take years to reach even a half-inch in size.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma : Squamous Cell Carcinoma represents approximately 16% of the skin cancer cases and this type of cancer starts in the squamous cells that are in the upper layer of the skin. This often occurs in fair skin people that have had exposure to the sun over an amount of years and they are usually of a more mature age. There are approximately 200,000 new cases diagnosed per year this type of cancer can portray its self as a scaly are of the skin or a crusty area of skin and it will have a red swollen base that can resemble a tumor and can appear anywhere on the body including the mouth or the genitalia. This type of cancer can also appear as a non-healing ulcer. It can be what are known as atinic keratoses these are dry scaly areas that can also be discolored a reddish brown or a yellow black color on the skin.

Melanoma is another type of skin cancer and while the rate of cases are lower this still has a 4% rate of development. Melanoma affects the cells within the skin that gives it its color. Older white males are most at risk for this type of cancer to become serious and it is felt the reason is they do not take note of the warning signs associated with this type of cancer. This type of cancer can develop in an existing mole or appear as a new mole and for this reason it is important for people to observe any changes in their moles.

Skin Cancer Risk Factors

Skin Cancer or non-melanoma Skin Cancer to be directly related to exposure to direct sun and each time a person’s skin is blistered it is believed it raises their chances for developing Skin Cancer. Some of the other important risk factors are people with light colored skin and people who are older usually over the age of 50 are more at risk and people who live in states where the sun is stronger have a higher chance of developing skin cancer. This means the person who lives in Texas where the sun is very hot has more of a chance to develop Skin Cancer or basal cell carcinoma than the person who lives in Maine.

Weakening of the immune system from disease or from medication also can put a person more at risk for developing Skin Cancer. Excessive tanning booth time with the ultraviolet radiation can also be a risk as well as radiation treatment for other types of cancer.

Family history

Heredity plays a major role in Skin Cancer. If your mother, father, siblings, or children have had a melanoma, you are part of a melanoma-prone family. Each person with a 1st-degree relative diagnosed with melanoma has a 50 percent greater chance of developing the disease than members of the general public who do not have a family history of cancer. If the cancer occurred in a grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew (2nd-degree relative), there is still an increase in risk compared to the general population, though it is not as great. About 1 of every 10 patients diagnosed with cancer has a family member with a history of melanoma.

History

Individuals with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) are at increased risk for other cancers, according to a study published in the 26 August online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Previous studies have documented that people who have had nonmelanoma skin cancer were at increased risk for developing melanoma, but it is less well-established whether they were also at risk for cancers that do not involve the skin.

Skin

Light-colored skin, sun exposure, and age are all important factors in the development of Basal Cell Carcinomas. People who have fair skin and are older have higher rates of Basal Cell Carcinoma. About 20% of these skin cancers, however, occur in areas that are not sun-exposed, such as the chest, back, arms, legs, and scalp. The face, however, remains the most common location for basal cell lesions. Weakening of the immune system, whether by disease or medication, can also promote the risk of developing Basal Cell Carcinoma.

Age

Most Skin Cancers appear after age 50, but the sun's damaging effects begin at an early age. Therefore, protection should start in childhood in order to prevent Skin Cancer later in life.

Diet

• Reduce or eliminate alchohol as even moderate drinkers are 65% more likely to develop Skin Cancer.
• Polyunsaturated fats are considered a good fat, but new research shows that they can also weaken your immune system! Minimize the vegetable oil in your diet.
• Antioxidants are consistently linked to a decreased chance of cancer. To up your antioxidant intake, try to eat lots of the following: berries, oranges, spinach, grapes, kale, broccoli, beats, red peppers, carrots and much more. If you already have a healthy diet full of fruits and veggies, you probably won't need to make any changes.

Other Factors

People who have HIV are also more at risk for a type of Skin Cancer named Kaposi’s sarcoma.