Frequently Asked Questions Skin Cancer
Home > Frequently Asked Questions > Skin Cancer
 [Printer-friendly version -- PDF file, 53 Kb]
Cancer is a disease in which certain body cells don't function right, divide very fast,
and produce too much tissue that forms a tumor. The skin is the body's largest organ. It
protects us against heat, light, injury, and infection. It regulates body temperature and
stores water, fat, and vitamin D. The two most common kinds of skin cancer are basal cell
carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The most serious kind of skin cancer is called
melanoma.
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. The number of new
cases of skin cancer appears to be rising each year. The number of deaths due to skin
cancer, though, is fairly small. The good news is that skin cancer is now almost 100%
curable if found early and treated promptly.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer. Artificial
sources of UV radiation, such as sunlamps and tanning booths, can also cause skin cancer.
Although anyone can get skin cancer, the risk is greatest for people who have fair skin
that freckles easily -- often those with red or blond hair and blue or light-colored eyes.
Most skin cancers appear after age 50, but the sun's damaging effects begin at an early
age. So, protection should start in childhood to prevent skin cancer later in life.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is the federal government's authority on skin
cancer. Contact them at 800-4-CANCER (800-422-6237) or go to the following web site: http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancerinfo/wyntk/skin.
For information on melanoma, go to the following web site: http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancer_information/doc_wyntk.aspx?viewid=8f3e1c39-1ba0-4a7e-9088-e03c592c5395
For More Information
You can also find out more about skin cancer by contacting the National Women's Health
Information Center (800-994-9662) or the following organizations:
National Cancer Institute
Cancer Information Service
Phone: (800) 422-6237
Internet Address: http://cis.nci.nih.gov
National Skin Cancer Prevention Education Program
Phone: (770) 488-4751
Internet Address: http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nscpep/index.htm
American Cancer Society
Phone: (800)-ACS-2345
Internet Address: http://www.cancer.org
American Academy of Dermatology
Phone: 847-330-0230
Internet Address: http://www.aad.org
The Skin Cancer Foundation
Phone: 212-725-5751
Internet Address: http://www.skincancer.org
Content last updated August 1, 2003.
|
You may need to download a free PDF reader to view files marked with this icon.
