Skin Cancer: Therapies That Can Help You Curb Down The Effects

Skin cancer develops when abnormal cells in the skin begin to grow uncontrollably, often as a result of prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. While hearing the words “skin cancer” can understandably be worrying, many types of skin cancer can be treated successfully, especially when they are detected early. The right treatment depends on factors such as the type of skin cancer, its size, location, stage, and the person’s overall health. From surgical removal and targeted treatments to radiation and other therapies, there are several options that doctors may consider. In this article, we’ll look at the different therapies used to treat skin cancer cells and how they can help manage the condition and reduce its effects.

More Australians than any other Caucasians are facing skin cancer cells today. Worryingly, the incidence of skin cancer is growing more among people above 70. More men than women are likely to get skin cancer. So if you are a white male, above 70 and living in sunny and high altitude areas, you fall in a high-risk skin cancer group. Thankfully, most forms of skin cancer can be detected and later treated successfully. There are three kinds of skin cancer- Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and Melanoma.

The first two make up around 90% of all skin cancer cases and can be easily diagnose and treated. Melanoma is more dangerous and often goes undetected. If discovered early, even Melanoma can be addressed quite satisfactorily. If you think you are in a high-risk group, consider visiting one of the many skin cancer clinics in Australia, such as Sun Doctors.

Skin Cancer Therapies

Each therapy has a different objective and context. What might work in the form of skin cancer may fail in a different scenario. Broadly, there are eight different kinds of skin cancer therapies. These are:

1. Normal surgery
2. Radiation therapy
3. Photodynamic Therapy
4. Chemotherapy
5. Targeted Therapy
6. Chemical Peel
7. Other therapies using drugs
8. Immunotherapy

Surgery or Excision

Here, doctors use various kinds of operations.

• In a simple process, doctors remove the affected part of the skin.
• In micrographic surgery, doctors keep peeling off layers and layers of cancer cells until no more affected cells remain. The diseased cells are examines under the microscope for checking the extent of cancer. This kind of surgery is used on the face, neck, and genitals.
• Shaving– this process is like shaving off a piece of the affected skin with the help of a blade.
• Electrodesiccation– This process is also called electro-surgery. Here, the affected portion on the surface is cut with the help of a spoon-shaped knife. Later, a needle is used to pass electric current in the affected area to stop bleeding. Using this process, cancer surgeons remove the remaining cancer cells in the surrounding areas as well. Your surgeon might use electro-surgery twice or three times to remove all the cancer cells from your affected skin part.
• Cryosurgery– Here, the surgeon freezes the skin cancer cells and makes them ineffective. Freezing is done with the help of liquid nitrogen.
• Laser surgery– Cancer surgeons, use a narrow laser beam to make bloodless excisions to destroy skin cancer cells and tumors.
• Dermabrasion– In this method, a small rotating wheel is used to abrade or rub away the skin cancer cells and tumors on the surface.

Radiation Therapy

Here, a beam of energy is directs at lesions, skin cancer cells, and tumors. This burst of energy kills those cells. More often, doctors use X-rays in radiation therapy, but sometimes they also use protons and other micro-particles in radiation therapy to treat skin cancer.

Chemotherapy

This process uses drugs to neutralize the skin cancer cells. Drugs can either be ingests or injected into the main body in this process. 

Immunotherapy

Sometimes, skin cancer can be treated by boosting the human body’s immune systems. Doctors use interferon, vaccines, and certain other drugs in this process.

Photodynamic therapy

Certain drugs don’t work until they are expose to light. This therapy uses drugs and light to treat skin cancer.