1. Skin Cancer
by Yousuf Asfour

2. Causes
·        The primary cause of skin cancer is ultraviolent rays from sun exposure
·         Smoking tobacco can also cause skin cancer
·         HPV infections can increase the risk of squamous cell carcinoma
·         Some genetic syndromes that cause moles or birthmarks may cause a higher risk for skin cancer
·         Radiation from sources such as X-rays also can cause skin cancer

3. Types · Malignant melanoma o Rarest type from the 3 skin cancers
o   Metastasizes much more frequently causing death more often
·         Basal cell carcinoma (BCC)
o   Most common type of skin cancer
o   Rarely metastasizes and is almost never lethal and is easily treated
·         Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)
o   Common, but not as common as BCC
o   Metastasizes more than BCC but very slowly

4. Signs and Symptoms · Malignant melanoma
o   If a mole changes shape or color, that is a warning sign of a melanoma
o   Most melanomas are brown or black looking lesions
·         Basal cell Carcinoma
o   Usually a pearly translucent elevated bump on sun exposed regions
o   Blood vessels may appear and bleed
·         Squamous cell carcinoma
o   Appears as a red thickened scaly patch on sun exposed regions
o   May crust and bleed

5. Prevention
·         The best way to prevent any skin cancer is using sunscreen while outdoors
·         Limit exposure to radiation from X-rays and other radiation emitting machines
·         Where protective clothing
·         Take scheduled visits to the doctor to examine the cancer

6. Cures
·         The non-melanoma skin cancers can be easily dealt with, especially when dealt with early on
·         Melanomas can also be dealt with, but must be removed very early on or else they can cause extreme damage
·         All skin cancer must be removed before metastasizing

7. Treatment · Surgical methods are usually used to deal with skin cancer
·         Treatment depends on who has the cancer
·         The treatment also depends on age, health, and severity of the cancer of the person
o   If the person who has the cancer has other diseases and is old, they may not treat it and have to live with it

8. Bibliography
·    "Skin Cancer." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 10 Feb  
·      "Skin Cancer Facts." Skin Cancer. Web. 10 Feb
·       "Skin Cancer Signs, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Prevention and Diagnosis on MedicineNet.com." Web. 10 Feb