First Signs of Skin Cancer

The First Signs of Skin Cancer are Important to know About

It is a good idea to know the first signs of skin cancer or “precancerous conditions” so that you can take care of them before they become cancer.  Some cancers have no precancerous changes so you need to read the information on skin cancer and find the cancer before it becomes too big.

All types of cancer have early signs so knowing the skin cancer warning signs is vitally important.

Precancerous skin lesions will become cancer if left alone.  About 40-50 percent of all fair skinned people will have skin cancer by the age of 65.  Knowing the skin cancer warning signs will help you find the skin cancer before it actually becomes cancerous.

Early treatment can save lives and disfigurement.

Actinic Keratosis or Solar Keratosis

An actinic keratosis is a scaly patch of skin you can get from excessive sun exposure.  You can see them mostly on the neck, hands or head but they can be seen in other places.  They are precancerous lesions that can turn into squamous cell carcinoma.  They can be treated with cryotherapy.

Cryotherapy uses extreme cold to “burn” off the precancerous lesion.  That way the first signs of skin cancer are removed.  You still have to watch the area carefully so that squamous cell cancer doesn’t still show up in that area.

Actinic keratoses are skin cancer warning signs occurring usually in fair skinned people with blond or red hair and blue or green eyes.  This doesn’t mean that people of other skin colors and ethnicities can’t get these lesions.

An actinic cheilitis or Farmer’s Lip is like having an actinic keratosis on the lower lips.  There is drying and cracking of the lips that are precancerous lesions.  The lip can swell and can turn into squamous cell carcinoma if it isn’t treated by burning off the dry and scaly areas.

Cutaneous Horns

If you have a cutaneous horn, it is one of the skin cancer warning signs. It looks like a hard horn in the shape of a funnel that grows on the skin of the face, neck or arms.  It can get very large.  It often occurs on the elderly and on those with fair skin.

The base of the cutaneous horn often contains early squamous cell cancer.  The doctor needs to remove the horn and should burn or cut out the base to get rid of the carcinoma.  If you do not want to get a cutaneous horn, use sun block or stay out of the sun.

When Moles are the First Signs of Skin Cancer

A mole can be one of the first melanoma symptoms.  Few moles become cancerous but certain moles can turn into a melanoma.  There are moles called “dysplastic nevi” that can turn into melanoma on occasion.  Moles that start in adulthood are also dangerous moles because most normal moles develop in childhood.

Dysplastic moles are not cancer but if you read information on skin cancer, you’ll find that they can become cancer.  They are larger than regular moles—often larger than a pencil eraser.  They are irregular in their border and their shape is asymmetrical.

The color of a dysplastic mole is not just one color but is made of many colors.  Colors can include brown, black, pink, tan and red.  Dysplastic moles can be raised or flat against the skin.

A dysplastic mole is one of the first melanoma symptoms.  Any mole that changes is considered a dysplastic mole.  If you have a mole that changes, you need to seek the advice of a doctor. Dysplastic moles can be biopsied or can be removed completely so that cancer can’t form.

It is hard to tell if dysplastic moles are just dysplastic or if they are melanoma.  This is why it is best to remove them to make sure no cancerous change has developed.  In the best case, a dysplastic mole is one of the skin cancer warning signs and needs a lot of evaluation.

How Moles are Evaluated

You should check your skin after a shower every month. Make sure you look at your back through the mirror or have someone check it for you.  Look for melanoma symptoms by checking each mole.   Check your scalp and the back of your neck using a mirror or a helper.

Take a picture of strange moles and see if they look different over time.  Times when you are going through menopause or pregnant can change moles because of the hormonal changes you are going through.

There are five things to look for in a mole.  The first is asymmetry.  If a mole is asymmetric, it bears further watching or biopsy.  The second is the border.  If the border is irregular, it is considered more dangerous than smooth-bordered moles.  The color of the mole is important.  If it is of many colors, you need to pay more attention to it.

The depth of the mole is important.  Malignant melanomas can be flat or raised but if a flat one raises, it should be looked at.  The edges of a mole should be sharp.  If they are unclear, see a doctor to have it evaluated.

Dr. Christine Traxler

4 12 2010