Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Skin cancer

Diagnosis of Skin cancer

Diagnosis is only confirmed with a skin biopsy. Most skin biopsies are done under local anesthesia with an injection. A shave biopsy is good for diagnosing basal cell carcinoma, while not as well for squamous cell carcinoma. A punch biopsy is preferred for diagnosing squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.

Treatment of cancer of the skin:

Treatment is dependent on type of cancer, location of the cancer, age of the patient. Also based on the fact that the cancer is localized or spread to other organs.

Skin cancers are usually treated with surgery or local excision with adequate margins or by a specialized technique called Moh's surgery.

Topical chemotherapy using 5 fluorouracil or imiquimod cream, cryosurgery and electrosurgery can also be used for cure in early low risk stages.



In the case of disease that has spread (metastasized), further surgical procedures or chemotherapy may be required.

How to prevent skin cancer

Although it is impossible to completely eliminate the possibility of skin cancer, the risk of developing such a cancer can be reduced significantly with the following steps:

Reducing exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation by avoiding sun exposure during the day, (especially from 9 AM to 4 PM), when the sun is highest in the sky, wearing protective clothing (long sleeves and hats) when outdoors, using a broad-spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB radiation with high SPF can go a long way in preventing skin cancers, avoid toxic chemicals, coal, tars and smoking as much as possible, last but not the least, visit a dermatologist for any unusual growth or ulceration.

Skin cancer – Causes and Symptoms
Different Types of Skin Cancer
Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Skin Cancer