Causes of Skin Cancer

Generally skin cancer is caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays resulting in DNA damage to skin tissue. The main source of ultraviolet light is sunlight which consists of three types:

Ultraviolet A (UVA)

Ultraviolet B (UVB)

Ultraviolet C (UVC)

Of the three types of ultraviolet light, the most harmful to the skin is UVC rays. However, UVC rays can be absorbed by the atmosphere before reaching the ground. UVA and UVB can damage skin cells, especially the pale, and potentially cause skin cancer.

Artificial UV light sources such as UV lamps and tanning beds can also cause skin cancer.

Some factors that can increase a person's risk of skin cancer are:

- Have white skin. Everyone, regardless of skin color, can suffer from skin cancer. However, white skin has less protection against UV rays than darker skin. Darker skins have more melanin levels that provide stronger UV protection. In addition, the easy form of spots on the skin indicates the skin is more susceptible to skin cancer.

- Often exposed to sunlight. People who are often exposed to sunlight are more at risk of skin cancer than those who are rarely exposed to sunlight. Some conditions that can increase exposure to sunlight among others

Living in an area that has a sunny climate.

Living in a higher area.

- Mole. People who have a lot of moles or have an abnormal mole (larger than usual) are more at risk of skin cancer than people with fewer moles.

- Age. People with advanced age are more susceptible to skin cancer compared with children or adolescents.

- Sunburn skin (sunburn). Skin blistered from sunlight makes the skin more at risk of skin cancer, especially if the skin blisters occur when children or adolescents.

- Actinic keratosis. In people with bright skin color, easy exposure to sunlight causes the formation of patches of thickening of scaly skin on the face, hands, and head. This condition is pre-cancerous, and is potentially turned into skin cancer.

- History of skin cancer. If a person has had skin cancer and recovered, it is likely that the same conditions will reappear.

- History of skin cancer in family members. A person at high risk of skin cancer if you have a relative or a parent who has suffered from skin cancer.

Weakness of the immune system. People with weakened immune systems have a higher risk of skin cancer. Including people with HIV / AIDS, people taking immunosuppressant drugs, and organ transplant recipients.

- Radiation therapy. Patients with eczema or acne given radiation therapy has a high risk of skin cancer, especially basal cell cancer.

- Exposure to certain chemicals. Some chemicals are carcinogenic, such as arsenic, may increase the risk of skin cancer.

Diagnosis of Skin Cancer

To accurately diagnose skin cancer, the doctor will apply the following steps to the patient:

- Physical examination of the skin. The doctor will examine the shape of the skin disorder especially the changes that occur in the physical appearance. With this examination, the doctor will determine whether the changes are caused by cancer or other diseases.

- Perform skin biopsy. Examination of skin tissue samples taken by biopsy in the laboratory.

After the diagnosis is done, the doctor will determine the severity of skin cancer suffered based on the stadium as follows:

Stage 0, indicating that cancer tissue is still where it first appeared and has not spread (in situ).

Stage 1, indicating that cancer tissue is still small and has not spread.

Stage 2, indicating that cancer tissue has grown, but has not spread.

Stage 3, indicating that the cancer has enlarged and has spread to surrounding tissues or to nearby lymph nodes.

Stage 4, indicating that the cancer has spread to other parts of the body or has undergone metastasis.

Determination of the stage of skin cancer is done to determine the appropriate treatment. In basal cell carcinoma, cancer cells usually do not spread so skin biopsy can determine the type and stage of cancer. But in other types of skin cancers, such as squamous cell carcinoma, mercell cell carcinoma, or melanoma, doctors will perform further tests to get more accurate results. One of the more frequent follow-ups is a lymph node biopsy in the area of the cancer.