Skin Caner
Dating back to the 19th century and before, someone with a tan was considered low class, because it suggested outdoor labor. Things soon changed in the 1920's when the tan became a positive fashion statement. Reportedly, French fashion designer Coco Chanel came back from a vacation in the Riviera sporting a bronzed look. People of fashion took note, and soon thereafter, the tan became a sign of class and style. We have seen a rise in skin cancer cases ever since. (Harvard Women's Health Watch, 2006)
Skin cancer is the number one cancer in the United States today. There are more cases of skin cancer diagnosed annually than prostate, lung, and colon cancer combined in men, and breast, lung, and colon cancer combined in women. The number of skin cancer cases diagnosed annually continues to rise because of the focus being on melanoma and not the other two, more common forms of the disease. There are three main types of skin cancer: Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and Melanoma. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer, followed by squamous cell carcinoma and lastly melanoma. Even though melanoma is the least common, accounting for only 4% of all skin cancers, it is the most deadly. Out of all skin cancer deaths, over 75% are from melanoma. Even though basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer, melanoma is the most familiar due to the high death rate. (Harvard Women's Health Watch, 2006)
There are certainly specific characteristics of each form of skin cancer. Melanoma can appear as asymmetrical legions, moles with uneven borders and different colors and are usually ΒΌ inch in diameter. The American Academy of Dermatology (2006) describes the characteristics of basal cell carcinoma as a sore that bleeds, oozes, or crusts and remains open for three or more weeks. A persistent, non-healing sore is a very common sign of an early basal cell carcinoma. Or a reddish patch or irritated area, frequently...
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