Skin cancer

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the U.S. It’s easier to prevent skin cancer than any other type of cancer – yet the number of cases continues to grow. In the U.S., more than 3.5 million cases are diagnosed every year. That’s more than breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers combined. Experts predict that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.

The good news is that many skin cancers are curable if they’re discovered and treated early enough. Your skin has an incredible capacity to heal and regenerate. Our skin cancer specialists offer cutting-edge, compassionate care at clinics in Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

What is skin cancer?

Skin cancer is a cancer that grows from abnormal skin cells. It occurs when skin cells grow out of control.

What are the types of skin cancer?

Skin cancer tumors usually occur in these three forms:

Basal-cell skin cancers often look like a small, dome-shaped pimple, with a pearly color. You might see blood vessels on the surface. In other cases, basal cell carcinoma skin cancers may look like a pink, shiny patch or a sore that doesn’t heal.

Squamous-cell skin cancers usually look like a red, crusty or scaly patch, a sore or a firm red bump. You’ll usually see these signs of skin cancer on skin that’s been exposed to the sun.

Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Typical melanoma skin cancers develop in or near a mole and are painful, itchy or bleeding. Melanoma skin cancers often change in shape, color or size.

Other skin cancer types are rarer than these three types and include:

• Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans
• Kaposi sarcoma
• Merkel cell carcinoma
• Sebaceous gland carcinoma

What does skin cancer look like?

When examining any atypical moles for signs of skin cancer, remember the rule of “ABCDE”:

• Asymmetry: Is each side of the mole shaped differently?
• Border: Are the mole’s edges ragged or blurred?
• Color: Is the mole uneven shades of brown, black, tan, red, white or blue?
• Diameter: Is the mole larger than the tip of a pencil eraser?
• Enlargement: Has the mole increased in size?
• Evolution: Does the mole look different than the other moles around it, or is it changing size, shape or color?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions – or if you’re concerned about a suspicious-looking area of your skin – schedule an appointment with your doctor or dermatologist.

What to expect during a skin cancer screening

Skin cancer can develop anywhere, so during your skin cancer screening, your dermatologist will check your whole body. Your doctor will even check parts that don’t get exposed to the sun for skin cancer symptoms, like the skin between your toes.

How is skin cancer diagnosed?

If your doctor finds moles or growths that look abnormal, they may remove part or all of them and send them to a lab to test if they are skin cancer. Your doctor may also remove precancerous growths (actinic keratosis) to keep them from turning into skin cancer.

If your skin cancer is large or deep, or if it has spread to other parts of your body, you may need more tests, including a sentinel lymph node biopsy, which shows whether a melanoma has spread to your lymph nodes. Your symptoms and signs of skin cancer may also require X-rays, CT, MRI or PET scans.

Risk factors for skin cancer

People of all skin colors and races can develop skin cancer; however, those at the highest risk:

• Are 50 or older
• Have a family member who’s had skin cancer
• Have light skin or blue eyes
• Sunburn easily
• Have freckles
• Spend a lot of time in the sun or have been sunburned
• Have a weakened immune system
• Have scarring on their skin caused by a disease
• Have had exposure to X-rays, tanning beds or sunlamps
• Have had exposure to cancer-causing chemicals or substances

Treatment options for skin cancer

If you’re diagnosed with melanoma, your doctor will evaluate how deep the tumor has grown into your skin and how far the skin cancer has spread in your body. Once the depth has been determined, your doctor can develop a personalized plan for skin cancer treatment.

Sometimes, a biopsy can remove all the cancerous tissue, and no further treatment is necessary. In most cases, though, you’ll need to have the skin cancer – and part of the normal skin around it – removed. Removal of skin cancer can be done using a variety of techniques: freezing, scraping and burning, excision, and radiation therapy. Some of these techniques for skin cancer removal can be performed right in your doctor’s office, using a local anesthetic. Other skin cancer treatment options include:

• Mohs micrographic surgery: Your doctor precisely removes only the cancerous tissue.
• Surgery: Larger growths may require more extensive surgery to remove. In some cases, your doctor may need to use flaps or grafts of skin to improve your appearance afterwards.
• Radiation therapy: This procedure uses highly advanced technology to destroy skin cancer cells or to prevent them from growing.
• External beam radiation: This is usually used to treat melanoma that has spread to other organs.
• Immunotherapy: This treatment stimulates your immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells, without affecting healthy tissue.
• Clinical trials: If you have Stage 3 or Stage 4 melanoma, you may want to consider clinical trials – research studies in which scientists test potential new cures – as a treatment option.

Prevention of skin cancer

Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun damage your skin and, over time, lead to skin cancer. The best way to protect yourself is to avoid too much sun exposure – especially sunburns. Here’s how to prevent skin cancer by avoiding UV rays:

• Avoid direct sunlight for long periods of time, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Wear a hat with a wide brim to protect your face and ears and long-sleeved shirts and pants
• Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 or higher
• Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before you go out in the sun and reapply often – especially when swimming or sweating
• Wear sunglasses with UVA protection to shield your eyes and use a lip balm with sunscreen to protect your lips
• Don’t use tanning beds or sunlamps

Check your skin for changes that may be skin cancer symptoms – especially if you spend a lot of time in sunlight. Skin cancers often form on parts of your body exposed to the most sunlight such as your head and neck. If you have moles, it’s a good idea to take photos of them so you’ll know whether they’re changing over time.