May marks Skin Cancer Awareness Month — a perfect time to learn how early detection and smart protection can save lives.
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month
The month of May is particularly dedicated to raising awareness of skin cancer. It has been proven that every hour of intensive sun exposure increases the risk of skin cancer. The awareness campaign aims to encourage people of all ages to take proactive measures to protect themselves from the harmful effects of the sun and thus promote their long-term skin health.
With this blog, we desire to make a contribution to this essential campaigne by offering not just knowledge but also specific recommendations on suitable protective actions from childhood onward, as well as in leisure and at work.
Aware About the Different Types of Skin Cancer?
The type of skin cancer a person gets is determined by where the cancer begins. If the cancer begins in skin cells called basal cells, the person has basal cell skin cancer. When cells that give our skin its color become cancerous, melanoma develops.
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC)
- Is the most common type of skin cancer.
- Frequently develops in people who have fair skin. People who have skin of color also get this skin cancer.
- Often look like a flesh-colored round growth, pearl-like bump, or a pinkish patch of skin.
- Usually develop after years of frequent sun exposure or indoor tanning.
- Are common on the head, neck, and arms; however, they can form anywhere on the body, including the chest, abdomen, and legs.
Early diagnosis and treatment for BCC are important. BCC can grow deep. Allowed to grow, it can penetrate the nerves and bones, causing damage and disfigurement.
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin
- Is the second most common type of skin cancer.
- More frequently develops in people who have light skin, however, also develops in people who have darker skin.
- Often looks like a red firm bump, scaly patch, or a sore that heals and then re-opens.
- Tends to form on skin that gets frequent sun exposure, such as the rim of the ear, face, neck, arms, chest, and back.
Can grow deep into the skin, causing damage and disfigurement.
Melanoma
- Is often called “the most serious skin cancer” because it has a tendency to spread.
- Can develop within a mole that you already have on your skin or appear suddenly as a dark spot on the skin that looks different from the rest.
Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial.
Knowing the ABCDE warning signs of melanoma can help you find an early melanoma.
- A is for Asymmetry
One half of the spot is unlike the other half.
- B is for Border
The spot has an irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined border.
- C is for Color
The spot has varying colors from one area to the next, such as shades of tan, brown or black, or areas of white, red, or blue.
- D is for Diameter
Melanomas usually are greater than 6 millimeters, or about the size of a pencil eraser, when diagnosed. However, they can also be smaller.
- E is for Evolving
The spot looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape, or color.
How Frequent is Skin Cancer in the United Arab Emirates
In the UAE, according to the 2023 annual report of the Ministery of Health and Prevention, skin carcinoma ranked as sixth most common invasive cancers in femailes (3,5 % of all cancer) and fifth most common invasive cancers in males (6,3 % of all cancer). Melanoma add to these number, however with a lower percentage.
Skin cancer is less common among Arabs in the UAE than among other ethnic groups for a variety of reasons. Emirates frequently uses garments that covers more of their the body, especially during outdoor activities. This may lower overall sun exposure and the likelihood of sunburn, which is a key risk factor for skin cancer. Fasting, which can reduce inflammation, and a diet rich in spices with antioxidant and anti-cancer attributes could contribute to lower cancer incidence. Furthermore, research indicate that genetic predisposition adds to a lower cancer incidence, including melanoma.
According to cancer statistics, three-quarters of melanoma diagnoses in the UAE occur among people of European ancestry, and the cause is most likely recreational solar UV radiation exposure. However, also outdoor workers are at high risk and need skin protection. It is important, that all residents in areas with high annual average sunshine such as the UAE should be taking extra precautions in the fight against skin cancer.
Risk Factors of Skin Cancer
The risk of skin cancer depends on the skin type. There are six skin types with type one classified as the fairest skin that always burns, but never tans, and type six as dark skin that never burns, but always tans.
The World Health Organization (WHO) note some individual risk factors for skin cancer include fair skin, blue, green or hazel eyes, light-coloured hair, tendency to burn rather than suntan, history of severe sunburns, many moles, freckles and a family history of skin cancer.
Other risks apart from sun exposure include precancerous and cancerous skin lesions, benign tumours, fine and coarse wrinkles, freckles, discoloured areas of the skin or mottled pigmentation, and telangiectasias, which is the dilation of small blood vessels under the skin.
Treatment Options for Skin Carcinomas
If caught early, squamous cell carcinomas and basal cell carcinomas can be treated either invasively or non-invasively with very good prognosis. Excision as well as removement by electrodesiccation or cryosurgery (freezing the affected skin) are all options to treat basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
Photodynamic therapy uses light-sensitive medicine and a light source to kill cancer cells. It’s carried out in hospital and is sometimes used to treat non-melanoma skin cancer if it’s not too thick and has not spread deeper into the skin. The light-sensitive medicine can be given as a cream, tablet or injection. After the cancer cells have absorbed the medicine, a lamp or laser is shone on the affected area. The light reacts with the medicine and kills the cancer cells.
Chemotherapy may also be used to kill skin cancer cells. A chemotherapy cream is sometimes used to treat skin cancers that only affect the top layer of skin. It will usually need to be used for 3 to 4 weeks. Chemotherapy given into a vein (intravenous chemotherapy) is rarely used to treat skin cancer.
Radiotherapy using high-energy rays of radiation to kill cancer cells may sometimes be recommended if the cancer covers a large area, the location of the cancer makes surgery difficult, you are too unwell to have surgery, or the cancer has spread to lymph glands (part of the immune system). Sometimes radiotherapy is used after surgery to help reduce the chance of the cancer coming back.
Immunotherapy medicines help the immune system find and kill cancer cells. There are different types that come as a skin cream, tablets or liquid that’s given directly into a vein. Targeted medicines or immunotherapy may be used if you have skin cancer in more than one place, the cancer has spread to deeper layers of skin or other parts of your body, or you’re unable to have other treatments, such as surgery or radiotherapy.
Treatment Options for Melanomas
Surgery is the main treatment for melanoma, especially if it’s found early. You may also need surgery if the melanoma has spread to other areas of your body or if it has come back again after being removed. If the melanoma is in a visible area, such as on your face, a plastic surgeon may carry out the surgery to make sure the end result looks as good as possible. If a large area of skin is removed, skin may need to be taken from another part of your body and used to cover the area where the melanoma was. This is known as a skin graft.
Targeted medicines or immunotherapy are sometimes used to treat melanomas that cannot be treated with surgery, have spread to nearby lymph glands or to other areas of the body. A sample of the melanoma is usually tested before having targeted medicines. This is to check for changes in certain genes and help doctors decide if this type of treatment is likely to work.
TheKnowHow Independent Second Opinion Service
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A contribution by Dr. Gabriele Stumm,
