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Skin Cancer What is skin cancer? Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. It is estimated that one in four Americans with fair skin will develop skin cancer over their lifetime. Hawai’i has one of the highest incidences of skin cancer in the country. Fortunately the vast majority of these cancers can be treated effectively. The most common forms of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. By far, basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma rarely breaks off and spreads (metastasizes) to internal organs or distant parts of the body; it is only very rarely fatal. However, if left untreated this cancer can be quite destructive by invading underlying structures including nerves, bones, muscles, tendons, and occasionally can penetrate into the eye, skull, or brain. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common type of skin cancer. Like basal cell carcinoma, this cancer frequently invades and destroys adjacent structures if incompletely removed. Squamous cell carcinoma does have the capacity to metastasize, although this is uncommon. Melanoma is the third most common type of skin cancer, and is increasing at an alarming rate. It is life threatening if not treated early, but can be easily cured with complete surgical removal in its early stages. Melanoma typically appears as an unusual brownish-black spot on the skin which enlarges or changes. It may also develop in an existing mole as evidenced by changes in shape, color, size, or by bleeding. What causes skin cancer? Excessive exposure to sunlight is the single most important factor in the development of skin cancer. Although many victims of skin cancer were never “sun worshippers,” the lifetime cumulative exposure to the sun through normal outdoor activities from childhood on through adulthood contributes to the development of skin cancer. Additional causative factors for skin cancer include x-ray treatments for acne or prior cancers, and certain chemicals such as arsenic. The tendency to develop skin cancer is often inherited along with your complexion.
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