Skin cancer is an unusual increase in the cells of the skin. Most times, it develops on the parts of the skin that are exposed to the sun. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), every year, approximately 4 million cases of skin cancer are reported globally.

There are various types of skin cancer. The common types are Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. There are other types which are not so common: Kaposi sarcoma, Merkel cell carcinoma and sebaceous gland carcinoma.

Skin cancers are caused by mutations in the DNA of skin cells. This causes the cells to accumulate out of control and create a volume of cancer cells.  Risk factors include fair skin complexion,  family history, history of sunburns,  pre-cancerous skin lesions,  excessive sun exposure,  moles, radiation exposure and compromised immunity.

Warning signs of skin cancer are slight and not easy to detect. This leads to a late diagnosis. Some of the signs that are found later include large brownish spots with darker speckles, a mole that changes in size and colour, changes in the fingernails and toenails, impaired vision (ocular melanoma), scaly patches, persistent itching, persistent pimples or sores, and painful lesions.

Imaging tests and biopsies help in detecting skin cancer. The laboratory method of diagnosing skin cancer is the cytology test.

MedBioTechLab provides precise cytology tests for the early detection of skin cancer.

References:

www.mayoclinic.org

www.molesafe.com