Skin Cancer in Men
By: Reckless AlterTotal Views: 173, Word Count: 539,
Skin cancer is the most general form of cancer in men and women, with a predictable 1 million new cases expected to be diagnosed each year. The best way to defend against developing skin cancer is to protect the skin by staying out of midday sun, using sunscreens when out in the sun and to avoid using tanning beds.
There is no single cause for skin cancer in men. Malignancies or cancers occur after a single cell within a bodily tissue is hereditarily damaged in ways that allow a cancerous stem cell to form. This stem cell is able to divide and multiply, thus resulting into a tumor. This disease could very well spread. Some cells acquire the capability to penetrate surrounding tissues and form new tumors. Some are able to penetrate the walls of the lymphatic system, enter the blood stream and spread throughout the body. All of this begins with a single damaged cell.
Things that could damage cellular DNA are sometimes referred to as carcinogens or cancer causing agents. There are many known possible and probable carcinogens. Hence, there are several causes of malignancies.
The ones mentioned below are by no means the only causes. They are the ones most likely to harm the skin’s health, but exposure to any carcinogen could be the underlying skin cancer cause. It would be difficult if not unfeasible to trace each case back to its cause. Exposure to carcinogens does not at all times cause a malignancy to form and the exposure might have occurred several years before the malignancy was diagnosed.
Surgery
One of the most common treatments for skin cancer in men, surgery could be performed by numerous techniques. The first, known as excisional skin surgery is where the area where the skin cancer appears is numbed and removed with a scalpel. The second method known as Mohs surgery is where thin layers of the skin cancer are shaved away and at the same time examined under a microscope. In this procedure, only the essential amount of skin that contains the tumor is removed.
Another method, known as curettage and electrodesiccation is frequently used to remove small basal cell carcinomas. A tool shaped like a spoon (known as curettage) removes the cancer and then an electrical current is released to kill any cancer cells not removed by the curettage.
Cryosurgery is another form of treatment where the use of extreme cold (liquid nitrogen) is applied to remove the skin cancer. Lastly, laser surgery, which uses a beam of light to annihilate and remove cancerous cells, is another common surgical procedure.
Topical Chemotherapy
Characteristically used when the skin cancer covers an area too large to undergo a surgical procedure, topical chemotherapy is applied directly to the skin in the form of a lotion or cream to kill the cancerous cells.
Radiation Therapy
With this therapy, the use of high energy ways to kill cancer cells is not a common treatment for skin cancer; it is used at times if the skin cancer in men is located in an area where surgery would be difficult to perform. Radiation therapy could also be used if the skin cancer returns after the primary surgical removal.
About the Author
Dr. Reckless Alter is graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine as a physician in 1969 and went on to earn his medical degree in 1973. For over 25 years he has been a pioneer in the field of surgery, with a special focus on wellness medicine and hormones for men. Dr. Reckless is currently a board-certified Family Practitioner and a precautionary Medicine specialist. He has helped heal many problems of men through his treatment.
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