Skin cancer: learn the basics of this skin concern

While skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, it's still a mystery to many people. There are more than 3.5 million cases diagnosed annually in the United States alone. In order to protect yourself from this concern, make sure you know the facts. Understanding how skin cancer forms and the ways you can prevent it from forming can be what keeps your skin safe. Regular body checks and a yearly visit with your physician is another way to make sure your skin is healthy.
Skin cancer occurs when damage from the sun goes unrepaired and causes mutations or defects. This leads to the formation of malignant tumors, often in the form of abnormal moles. The best form of prevention is keeping your skin safe from the sun with protective clothing and sunscreen. Skin cancer treatments are the least difficult among all types of cancer and include surgical operations, radiation, laser treatment and use of the patient's own immune system. The five different options for treating skin cancer are mohs surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy and biologic therapy. The method chosen for treating a patient depends on a variety of factors like type, depth and location.
Watch this education video to learn more about this concern. Making sure you know the facts about this condition can keep your skin safe.