Skin Cancer Treatment Options

Skin cancer treatment options - Skin cancer develops when the cells in your skin start to disintegrate. People with light skin color are more at risk of developing skin cancer than people with dark skin color.

If you have skin cancer, different treatments are possible:

• Surgery: the tumor is cut out of the body. The removed piece is then examined in the laboratory to see if everything has actually been removed. If this is not the case, more tissue will have to be removed.
• Irradiation: the cancer cells are destroyed with radioactive radiation. Cancer cells are less able to withstand this radiation than healthy cells and thus die while healthy cells continue to live. Irradiation is also used to kill metastases. Some side effects of radiation are fatigue and discoloration of the skin around the irradiated area.
• Freezing of the tumor: the tumor is frozen with liquid nitrogen, similar to the removal of warts. This treatment often leaves a scar behind.
• Burn away the tumor: This is also called electrocoagulation. Under local anesthesia, the tumor cells are burnt away by means of an electric current.
• Light therapy: also called photodynamic therapy. With a cream, the tumor cells are sensitized to (red) light. If the spot is lit with this light, the tumor cells break down. A disadvantage of this therapy is that it can be quite painful.
• Chemotherapy: with this therapy, you bring a cream on the tumor that contains substances that will kill the tumor cells. Your skin may deteriorate in the first few weeks, but after that, it will be better with the skin again. Always follow the prescription of the physician.
• Immunotherapy: only applicable for basal cell carcinoma or melanoma. By immunotherapy, you stimulate your own immune system to clear the cancer cells.

The choice for a treatment depends on the type of skin cancer and how far the cancer has progressed. In a basal cell carcinoma, any of the above treatments can be used. In squamous cell carcinoma, the choice usually falls on surgery or radiation. Sometimes a combination of both is the most effective, for example when removing metastases.

Also in melanoma is usually opted for a surgery. When there are metastases in the lymph nodes, these are also removed surgically. In case of metastases in other organs, the doctor determines what the best treatment is. After treatment, you often remain under the doctor's control for a few years to see if the cancer does not come back.

Prevent skin cancer

To prevent skin cancer, it is best to handle sun exposure carefully.

• Do not sunbathe between 12 and 15 hours (summer time), the sun is at its most powerful.
• If you get a lot of suns, wear a sun hat or sun visor. Protect your skin by covering your arms and legs with clothing.
• Always use sunscreen in the sun with a high protection factor.

*Image source : Pixabay

References :

1. National Cancer Institute
2. Gezondheidsplein.nl
3. American Cancer Society