Skin Cancer Screening

Introduction

Skin cancer is a fatal disease. The incidence of skin cancer has increased rapidly across the world. In the United States, approximately one million new basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma cases. There were 44,000 new cases of skin cancer (melanoma) diagnosed in 1999. Basal and squamous cell carcinoma are the most common cancer of the skin. Basal cell carcinoma is a cancer of basal cells in the skin that appears as bumps on the skin. The function of the basal cells is to produce new skin cells after the death of old ones. Squamous carcinoma is cancer involving the middle and upper layers of the skin. It usually affects sun-exposed areas such as the scalp.

Melanoma is also the most common type of skin cancer involving melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that give skin its color. Advanced stages of skin cancer can cause severe disfigurement and can result in death. Early detection and treatment might reduce the mortality rate. Early detection of advanced stages of skin cancer can prevent major disfigurement and death rates. Several studies provide evidence addressing the accuracy of routine screening by health care for early detection of melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancer, ranging from poor to fair.

What Is Skin Cancer Screening?

Screening is a technique used to detect cancer in a suspected person. It helps to detect cancer in an early stage and makes treatment strategy easy. If the screening test is abnormal, doctors may ask to go through various other diagnostic tests to rule out the type, stage, and affected organ of cancer. Screening can be routinely performed as a total-body skin examination in patients seen in hospitals. The method of detecting skin cancer involves visual skin inspection, self-examination by the patients, and clinical examination by the healthcare professionals.

How Is Skin Cancer Screening Done?

Skin cancer screening is done to examine the signs of cancer. If this screening test is positive for the suspected patient. Then the suspected patients are referred for further laboratory examination, such as a biopsy, to confirm cancer. The golden diagnostic test for skin cancer is a biopsy. A biopsy is a medical test that healthcare professionals perform to examine the tissue for cancer's presence, causes, and stages. The biopsy is done by taking the suspected tissue from the patients.

The following are the two ways by which skin cancer screening is done:

• Self-examination - A self-examination is a procedure in which patients may look for signs of cancer themselves.

The signs of skin cancer during self-examination include:

• Suspicious areas of skin.

• The earlier history of skin cancer.

• Changes in shape or size of existing moles on the body or face.

• Itchy or painful moles.

• Moles have blood or pus-filled within them.

• Bumps on the skin or face that do not heal after a long time (within two weeks).

• Examination by Dermatologists - The dermatologist is the doctor who examines skin problems. The doctors can look for cancer signs by following the ABCDE rule for diagnosing melanoma.

  • A stands for asymmetry (irregular shape) of the mole. The doctor may look for the shape of moles in a suspected patient.

  • B stands for the border of the mole. The suspected patient may have an irregular border of the mole.

  • C stands for the color of the mole. Therefore, the doctor may look for distinctive colors of mole, such .as shiny pink, red, white, and pale.

  • D stands for the diameter of the mole. The mole diameter in the suspected patients is greater than the pea size.

  • E stands for evolving nature of mole. The suspected patients show changes in the nature of the mole over weeks.

These are the signs of skin cancer examined by the dermatologist during screening. The doctor refers patients for a biopsy if they get any signs of skin cancer. The suspected patients undergo a biopsy to rule out the type of skin cancer. This screening technique facilitates prompt diagnosis and treatment intervention in the patient. Thus, it prevents disfigurement and saves lives.

What Are the Advantages of the Screening?

The goal of skin cancer screening is to identify skin cancers, particularly melanoma, earlier in their clinical development than would be the case with advanced stages of cancer. This could lead to earlier and more successful treatment. To find problematic lesions for prospective biopsy, primary care doctors or dermatologists (a doctor who examine skin problems) can do visual skin cancer screening of the entire or section of the body.

The following are the advantages of the screening;

• Screening helps assess the risk for skin cancer in all patients, followed by a total-body skin examination in those at high risk.

• Screening detects melanoma or non-melanoma cancer in asymptomatic patients.

• The primary aim of screening is the earlier detection of melanoma.

• Patients become aware of and implement prevention ways to prevent skin cancer.

• Screening assesses risk factors in older patients for skin cancer.

• Early treatment of basal and squamous cell carcinoma might reduce morbidity and disfigurement.

• It helps detect early cancer and initiate treatment promptly.

• Screening is a non-invasive technique.

• Screening is cost-effective.

What Are the Disadvantages of the Screening?

Several studies have insufficient evidence to evaluate the hazards of screening for adults in the general population by primary care practitioners.

The following are the hazards of the screening:

• Most lesions are referred for biopsies and give false results.

• Misdiagnosis is also considered an adverse effect of screening.

• False results impact patients’ emotions and money.

• In older patients, screening detects large numbers of benign skin conditions. However, the detection of the lesions is considered an adverse effect because of unnecessary biopsies.

• Patients may suffer from the complications of treatment intervention in case of overdiagnosis.

Conclusion

Skin cancer is the most common cancer among men and women in the United States. Several studies recommended multicomponent community-wide intervention for improving sun protection behavior as well as skin cancer prevention and education intervention in childcare organizations, outdoor centers (public places), and secondary school settings. Skin cancer can be prevented by increased use of sun protection, sun avoidance, and self-examination. Skin cancer screening technique used to assess high-risk patients. Detecting potential lesions for cancer is the most promising strategy for addressing the excess burden of disease in the elderly.