Plan for Progress  

What is Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer is defined as any malignant growth that may materialize on the skin. There are three major forms of skin cancers which include melanoma, basal cell cancer and squamos cell cancer. Because the tumours will normally develop on the epidermis or the outermost layer of the skin, discovering the cancerous growth is relatively easy. Skin cancer is very common and is the most apparent cancer in human populations. However it has a noticeably lower incidence of death because of the likelihood that it will be caught in the early phases of the disease. Melanoma is the most destructive kind of skin cancer but is less common than the two other forms of this disease. In many instances of the disease, the cancer does not always advance immediately or at all.

What causes Skin Cancer?

There are quite a few established causes of skin cancer. The most widely accepted cause is over exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays or sunlight. The list below discusses some of the main causes:

• Suffering from any deficiency of the immune system, that is having a disease that subjects you to reduced immune system function, will elevate the risk for developing skin cancer. This reduction in the ability of the immune system to function may also be because of consuming drugs to fight an autoimmune disease or after having an organ transplant. These drugs will be used to decrease the immune system response in the case of autoimmune diseases that trigger the immune system to attack its own cells and organs, for example in people with lupus. These drugs are also used after an organ transplant to make certain that the body will not reject the newly transplanted organ.

• Being exposed to abnormally high levels of X-rays may induce the development of skin cancer.

• Using tanning booths to obtain an artificial tan has been broadly accepted as a probable cause of the disease.

• There are some chemicals that have been discovered to incite the development of skin cancers. These will typically include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and arsenic. It is speculated that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons may possibly be inhaled because of low levels of contamination in the air, consumed in foods and by making contact with any surface that is saturated with the chemical.

• Some people are said to be at a greater risk, such as lighter skinned people, people with blond or red hair and green or blue eyes. Having freckles or being prone to sun burn may also heighten a person’s risk for developing this type of cancer.

• Having a genetic irregularity that does not allow the development of pigment can increase the risk for the disease. These disorders include albinism and xeroderma pigmentosum.

• If an individual has already had skin cancer the risk is much higher.

• If you had at least one very extreme case of sunburn in childhood the risk for developing this type of cancer is higher.

• Having a family history of the disease is also a well known risk factor.

• If you have several moles these can become cancerous growths on the skin’s surface. Some individuals choose to have any moles removed to decrease the likelihood that they will become cancerous growths.

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that manifests when the body’s immune system starts to attack its own tissues and organs. The inflammation that results from lupus can affect many different areas all over the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart and lungs.

Lupus is far more often observed in women than in men but no clear connection for this observation has been discerned. There are four types of lupus in existence these are: systemic lupus erythematosus, discoid lupus erythematosus, drug-induced lupus erythematosus and neonatal lupus. Of the types mentioned, systemic lupus erythematosus is by far the most common and serious form of lupus.

The prognosis for people with this disease was very poor in the past however improvements in the diagnosis and treatment methods implemented for lupus has significantly enhanced the probability of surviving with the condition. Once the disease is treated most people with the disease can lead normal lives.

Because it is an autoimmune disease, it not only attacks foreign substances that may enter the body, such as bacteria and viruses, but also induces the immune system to attack healthy tissue. As said before this leads to inflammation and resultant damage to different sections of the body, inclusive of the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels and brain.

It is not yet known what causes the disease, like other autoimmune diseases it remains a mystery. It is theorized that it is the result of a combination of factors, most notably, the patient’s genes and the environment. Some experts also think that a person may inherit a predisposition to lupus, but not the actual disease itself. Instead, people with this probable inherited predisposition for the disease may only develop the condition when they make some form of contact with something in the environment that may trigger lupus, including some types of medication or a virus.

The disease does not necessarily develop in the same way for all individuals who are plagued by the disease . Signs and symptoms may materialize suddenly or develop over time. They may be mild or severe, and may be transient with fluctuating bouts of the associated symptoms or permanent. Most people affected by lupus have a mild form of the disease characterized by episodes which are considered flares when signs and symptoms are worsened for a short period, then improve or even disappear entirely for some time.

The signs and symptoms of lupus that an individual will face will largely depend on the areas of the body that are troubled by the condition. However the more regular signs and symptoms may include any of the following:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Memory loss

• Fatigue

• Fever

• Weight loss or gain

• Fingers and toes that turn white or blue during exposure to cold or during stressful periods. This is called Raynaud’s phenomenon.

• Joint pain, stiffness and swelling

• Butterfly-shaped rash or malar rash on the face that covers sections of the cheeks and the bridge of the nose

• Skin lesions that appear and are actually worsened by sun exposure

• Mouth sores

• Hair loss (alopecia)

• Shortness of breath

• Chest pain

• Dry eyes

• Easy bruising

Once a person develops an unexplained rash, ongoing fever, persistent aching or fatigue, he or she should seek medical attention to rule out the possibility that it could be lupus.

Once a person has been diagnosed with lupus, he or she should have regular consultations with a doctor so that the condition can be treated and monitored properly. In addition any new symptoms should be looked on immediately.