SkinCancer
Before you can fully understand skin cancer, it helps to know a little about what cancer is in general. Cancer is a group of many different diseases that have some important things in common. Normal cells grow and divide only when needed, but cancerous cells keep dividing when they are not needed, which creates the tumor. There are two types of tumors to be aware of and they are: benign and malignant. While both may cause alarm, only one needs to cause one to seriously worry. Benign tumors are not cancerous and do not spread, but on the other hand, malignant tumors are cancerous. They are abnormal and divide without control. Since malignant tumors can divide, it is possible to have cancer in one area of the body and over time end up with it elsewhere. This process is called metastasis. Metastasis is when cancer cells can break away from the malignant tumor and enter the bloodstream or lymphatic system. One of the easiest forms of cancer to detect is skin cancer. To fully understand what skin cancer is, you must know what the skin is made up of. The skin is composed of numerous layers. The layer that skin cancer originates in is the epidermis. It is made up of flat, scale-like cells called squamous cells. Underneath t
I have always wondered what causes cancer. I found that heredity and environment play a major part. If one has a history of skin cancer in the family then their risk increases. Also, people with fair skin, with a Northern heritage appear to be most susceptible. With the environment, influencing factors include elevation, latitude, and cloud cover. UV light today is higher than fifty or a hundred years ago due to reduction of the ozone. I found some information one would want to know in order to detect skin cancer. One of the most helpful ways of detection is the "ABCD" method. "Asymmetry" is the first step; it is based on the shape of the spot and whether it matches the other half of the spot. "Border" is based on how the spot's edges are ragged, notched, blurred, or irregular in outline. "Color" is important based on whether it is uneven. Lastly, "Diameter" may change in size, usually getting larger. Melanoma may vary in appearance and may only show abnormalities in one or two of the categories. Other symptoms that may be detected are newly formed fine scales or itching in a mole. Although melanoma may not be painful, areas of the tumor may itch, ooze, or bleed. Melanoma may be curable if found and treated when the tumor is thin and has not deeply invaded the skin. If one is so unluc
Some common words found in the essay are:
, Lastly Diameter, skin cancer, cell carcinoma, squamous cell, basal cell carcinoma, basal cell, squamous cell carcinoma, understand skin, cells epidermis, understand skin cancer, faster growing tumors, cell carcinoma melanoma, squamous cells, malignant tumors, melanoma occurs, cancer skin,
Approximate Word count = 884
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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