Skin cancer

Statistics

• An estimated 40 to 50 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will have skin cancer at least once.
• The most common skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma, which accounts for more than 90 percent of all skin cancers in the United States.

Three types of skin cancer are the most common: •Basal cell carcinoma is a slow-growing cancer that seldom spreads to other parts of the body. Basal cells, which are round, form the layer just underneath the epidermis, or outer layer of the skin.
•Squamous cell carcinoma spreads more often than basal cell carcinoma, but still is considered rare. Squamous cells, which are flat, make up most of the epidermis.
•Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It occurs when melanocytes, the pigment cells in the lower part of the epidermis, become malignant, meaning that they start dividing uncontrollably. If melanoma spreads to the lymph nodes it may also reach other parts of the body, such as the liver, lungs or brain. In such cases, the disease is called metastatic melanoma.

Symptoms
change on the skin(new growth, or a sore that doesn't heal)

•Their shape may be Asymmetrical.
•Their Borders may be ragged or otherwise irregular.
•Their Color may be uneven, with shades of black and brown.
•Their Diameter may change in size.

defects

In the UK between 2009 and 2011, an average of 27% of cases were diagnosed in those aged under 50 years, and an average of 24% of cases were diagnosed in the 75s.

Resources

• http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/types/skin/incidenc...
• http://www.genome.gov/10000184

Discovery
Skin Cancer was discovered