With one in five Americans developing skin cancer at some point in their lives, many people are now taking steps to protect their skin from this extremely common form of skin cancer. This means regularly applying sun screen, avoiding harmful UV rays, checking your skin for changes and scheduling skin examinations at a dermatologist clinic. But what do you do if your dermatologist does discover potential evidence of skin cancer? You’ll likely have a number of questions, ranging from “what next?” to “what is the treatment for skin cancer?” The answer to both of these questions will depend on the results of a biopsy dermatology and skin cancer specialists will perform on your skin. This biopsy will reveal the stage, type, and size of the cancer, all of which will help determine the skin cancer treatment methods that will be used in your case.
Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers
There are a number of different types of nonmelanoma skin cancers, such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Nonmelanoma skin cancers are fairly common, and can sometimes spread throughout the body. Treatment will therefore depend on where the cancer is located, what stage it is in, and whether or not it has spread to other areas.
What is the Treatment for Skin Cancer in This Case?
Nonmelanoma skin cancers are treated with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy (a procedure which uses laser light to kill cancerous cells), or biologic therapy (which uses the patients immune system to fight the cancer). The chosen treatment will depend on the severity of the cancer, as well as the state of the patient’s immune system.
Melanoma
Melanoma is the rarest kind of skin cancer, but also the most deadly, as it quickly and aggressively spreads to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes. A number of tests will need to be conducted to understand the full extent of a case of melanoma, including at least one biopsy and several different scans.
What is the Treatment for Skin Cancer in This Case?
Early stages of melanoma are often treated solely with surgery. However, more advanced cases will likely be treated with biologic methods, targeted medication therapy, chemotherapy and radiation. The best treatment option will likely be determined by considering the state of your immune system, your family’s history of the disease, and the cancer itself.
If your dermatologist suspects that you may have skin cancer, it is important to schedule follow-up tests as soon as possible to understand the full extent of your disease. If you have any questions or concerns about the tests, your results, or your treatment options, talk to your doctor.