Skin cancer is not common in India. It is more common in fair-skinned people. Two main varieties of skin cancers are:

1. Squamous Cell Cancer
2. Malignant Melanoma

Squamous Cell Cancer (Rodent Ulcer)

Cause(s)

Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight in fair-skinned people. It is commonly seen on the skin of the face and the hands.

Symptoms

It appears as an ulcer on the skin with raised margins. This ulcer does not heal with usual antibiotics, etc. The spread of this cancer is slow and long delayed.

Diagnosis

Routine: Blood: lIb, RBC, TLC, DLC, ESR may be normal.
    
Special: Biopsy from the lesion is taken and examined for cancer cells.

Treatment

Surgery: Excision of the cancerous tissue along with some of the normal one.

If the tumor has spread and gone to the draining lymph glands, these have also to be removed.

Radiation: It may be necessary if the cancer has spread, so as to kill the remnant cells.

Prognosis

Since the cancer is detected early, the cure-rate is over 90 per cent.

Malignant Melanoma

This cancer of the skin is fast growing, and spreads locally and in the regional lymph glands also.

Cause(s)

It occurs both in the parts exposed to _ sun, as well as those not thus exposed..

Symptoms

Sudden growth in a mole or a birth mark.

Bleeding from a mole, or what looks like a mole.

Formation of new moles, around an old one.

Diagnosis

Routine: Blood: lib, TLC, DLC, ESR may show no change.

Special: Biopsy of the suspected area and its examination for cancer cells.

Additional: X-ray chest and bone scan for secondary spread of the cancer.

Treatment

Surgery: Excision of the cancerous area along with that of the normal skin around it.

Excision of the draining lymph nodes, if suspected of spread.

Radiation: It is more often used for recurrent cases of this cancer.

Chemotherapy: It is not very helpful.

Prognosis
It is good, if the cancer is detected and treated early.