Do you know what is the most dangerous type of skin cancer?
The most dangerous type of skin cancer
Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer, as it is the most aggressive and dangerous type compared to other types of skin cancer. Melanoma usually begins in the cells responsible for producing the melanin pigment that gives the skin its natural color. Melanoma appears in the form of a new mole or a change in an existing mole in terms of size, color, and shape.
Why is melanoma the most dangerous type of skin cancer?
Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer because it quickly penetrates the deep layers of the skin until it reaches the blood vessels and then spreads to vital organs such as the liver, brain, lungs, and bones. Compared to other types of skin cancer, it develops very quickly and may resist traditional treatment if it is not discovered early before it spreads.
Stages of skin cancer
Skin cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the skin cells as a result of excessive exposure to harmful sunlight or other chemicals that harm the cells. This type goes through five different and gradual stages called the stages of skin cancer, which include the following:
- Stage 0:
At this stage, the cancer is still limited to only the outer and upper layer of the skin, and has not yet spread to deeper layers, such as localized basal skin cancer. - Stage I:
Here the tumor is still small, less than 2 cm, has not yet spread to the lymph nodes and may only begin to penetrate into deeper layers of the skin. - Stage II:
The cancerous tumor becomes larger and more aggressive on the skin, causing abnormal ulcers to appear. It begins to grow rapidly but does not spread to other parts of the body. - Stage III:
The cancer begins to spread and reach a number of nearby lymph nodes. This is the most advanced stage and usually requires urgent surgical intervention. - Stage IV:
It is the last and most dangerous stage, as the cancer spreads to vital organs in the body, such as the liver, lungs, and brain. This stage is known as metastatic cancer, and treatment aims only to slow the growth and not completely cure it.
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Symptoms of the most dangerous types of skin cancer in its early stages
We now learn about the symptoms of the most dangerous types of skin cancer in its early stages, which help detect the disease before it spreads and reaches other organs in the body and is difficult to treat. These symptoms include:
- Changes in a mole on the body: These are the first and most important signs of early melanoma. These changes include either asymmetry, meaning one half of the mole does not resemble the other half, or the presence of several colors in the same mole, or its diameter exceeds 6 mm, or it has irregular and rough edges, or its size changes over time and bleeds from it.
- The appearance of more than one new or unusual mole in an exposed place on the skin and even in other inconspicuous places, such as the areas between the toes and under the nails.
- Constant exposure to skin peeling, itching, and bleeding in mole areas and other areas, with multiple spots appearing on the skin.
- The skin texture changes until it becomes rougher and is higher than normal skin, especially in the areas surrounding the mole, as we mentioned.
- In men, early symptoms often appear in the back, neck, and head, in women they appear in the legs, so it is necessary to monitor these signs and go immediately when you notice them.
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Methods for detecting skin cancer
There are many approved medical methods for detecting skin cancer, which depend initially on observing changes in the skin and then examining them carefully through the following:
- Skin examination:
It is the first step to discovering the disease and must be done by a specialized doctor who detects asymmetry, irregular edges, skin color, and changes in the shape and diameter of the skin. The doctor usually uses magnifying lenses or specific devices to carefully examine the skin. - Skin biopsy:
The doctor takes a biopsy or sample of skin tissue, which is examined in the laboratory and is performed either by complete removal of the tumor, or only partial removal, or by needle biopsy or scraping only. - Skin imaging for diagnosis:
The doctor may order a positron emission tomography (PET) scan to determine the location of cancer cells in the body, and a CT or MRI to detect the extent of the cancer and its stage. - Genetic testing:
It may be necessary to perform a genetic test to analyze cancerous tumor cells to identify genetic mutations to determine the appropriate targeted treatment for the patient.
How are the most dangerous types of skin cancer treated?
Treatment of the most dangerous types of skin cancer depends on the stage at which the disease was discovered, or the extent of its spread in the body. Treatment methods can be divided as follows:
Treating the early stages with surgery
In the majority of cases that are discovered early, they are treated with surgery by completely removing the cancerous skin tumor along with a small part surrounding it to ensure that the cancer cells do not spread. In the case of small tumors in the skin, local anesthesia can be used during the operation, and some doctors tend to take a biopsy of the lymph nodes near the tumor to examine them.
Treatment of advanced melanoma
As for treating advanced melanoma that has begun to spread to the lymph nodes, it is done through several approved methods, which are:
- Immunotherapy: which helps strengthen the immune system so that it is able to attack cancer cells that appear, and this type of treatment is used after surgery.
- العلاج الموجه Targeted therapy: It is a successful and effective treatment in some cases that have a BRAF gene mutation. It helps stop the growth of skin cancer by affecting the genetic mutation.
- Radiotherapy: Radiotherapy is used if the tumor has spread to precise and sensitive areas such as the brain or after surgical treatment to stop the spread of cancer cells and size them.
- Chemotherapy: It is used in extremely rare cases, and some doctors may resort to it after the failure of targeted therapy or immunotherapy and the spread of cells to vital organs in the body.
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Long-term medical follow-up
After treating the most dangerous type of skin cancer, melanoma, it is necessary to have long-term medical follow-up by visiting the doctor every once in a while to conduct a comprehensive skin examination and conduct blood and x-ray tests depending on the case. The follow-up basically aims to discover the recurrence of the cancer or its reappearance.
وختامًا..
The purpose of identifying the most dangerous types of skin cancer is not to cause anxiety in people, but to encourage the need to detect skin cancer in the early stages before it spreads. Therefore, you can contact Al Mousa Specialist Hospital when you notice any of the symptoms mentioned to conduct the necessary tests in the hospital’s distinguished laboratory and take all measures in order to ultimately obtain medical service at the highest level of accuracy and quality.
اسئلة شائعة
Below we answer together the most common questions we receive from our followers about skin cancer and its dangers:
When is skin cancer fatal?
Skin cancer is fatal when it is discovered in the late stages after it has spread to vital organs in the body such as the brain, liver and bones, also when treatment is neglected after its discovery or it is in places that are difficult to reach with surgery.
Does skin cancer lead to death?
In most cases, skin cancer does not lead to death, but infection with melanoma and its discovery at a late stage, with weak immunity and the body’s lack of response to treatment, may all lead to death.
Does skin cancer require chemotherapy?
No, in many cases, skin cancer is not treated with chemotherapy except in advanced or complex cases. Doctors may resort to chemotherapy after surgery because it is not effective in cases of skin cancer and causes other side effects.
المصادر:
Types of Skin Cancer – floridacancerpc
Melanoma – clevelandclinic
