Skin Cancer

Skin cancer afflicts more than one in five Americans during their lifetime, making it more common than any other type of cancer. Seth Goodman, DO, Matt Goodman, MD, and the Goodman Dermatology and Mohs Surgery team in Sun City West and Sun City, Arizona, encourage you to get regular skin-cancer screenings so that they can identify, treat, and cure any skin cancers in their earliest stages. Contact the warm and supportive team by phone or online to request a skin cancer screening.

What causes skin cancer?

Skin is your largest organ and the only organ you have that’s directly exposed to external environmental stressors, including sunlight. The ultraviolet rays in sunlight and tanning beds also damage the DNA in your skin cells. 

If your body can't repair the damage, the wounded cells start to divide uncontrollably, forming lesions and tumors.

What are the types of skin cancer?

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer. About four million cases of BCC are diagnosed in the United States each year. Signs that you may have BCC include:

• Small, pearly nodule
• Pinkish patch
• Sores that don’t heal
• Yellow, waxy scar
  

Lesions from BCC tend to appear on sun-exposed areas, such as your face, ears, scalp, neck, and trunk.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the next most common form, with approximately one million diagnosed cases in the U.S. each year. Signs that you may have SCC include:

• Crusty areas on the skin
• Scaly patches
• Wounds or skin trauma that don't heal as expected

SCC lesions tend to appear on sun-exposed areas of your body.

Melanoma is much rarer than BCC or SCC but can be deadly. Melanoma is aggressive, fast-growing, and metastasizes to other parts of your body.

Melanoma lesions can arise anywhere on your skin. You should immediately contact your provider if you notice any moles that look asymmetrical, jagged, multi-colored, large, or are changing or growing in any way.

Less common forms of skin cancers include Merkel cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, sebaceous carcinoma, and many others.

How can I prevent skin cancer?

The best way to prevent skin cancer is to minimize sun exposure, particularly between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. However, we all have busy lives to lead. You should use broad-spectrum sunscreen daily, and when appropriate, wear long sleeves, hats, and sunglasses when outdoors. 

Your Goodman Dermatology providers recommend self-examining your entire body once a month for suspicious moles. Contact them immediately if you notice anything unusual, and be sure to schedule a skin cancer screening at least once a year.

How do dermatologists treat skin cancer?

If your Goodman Dermatology provider diagnoses you with skin cancer, they tailor treatments to the type and severity of your cancer. Options may include:

• Topical medications
• Intralesional injections
• Curettage and desiccation
• Surgical excision
• Superficial radiation
• Mohs micrographic surgery

Don’t guess with skin cancer: Get your moles evaluated by the Goodman Dermatology and Mohs Surgery team today by phone or online. d