How to recognize and prevent skin cancer: Tips from Newport Hospital

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How to recognize and prevent skin cancer: Tips from Newport Hospital

Dr. Bradford Gray

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, with an estimated one in five Americans expected to develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Each year nearly 8,000 people die of melanoma in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society, which is why prevention and early detection are so important.

Types of skin cancer

There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma. The most common skin cancers are basal or squamous cell, with melanoma and other unusual types being rarer.

Can skin cancer be treated?

Basal and squamous cell cancers, if identified early, are often treatable and curable because they are typically non-aggressive and slow-growing. These types of cancer can usually be treated with either prescription ointments or a surgical procedure known as an excision, most often performed on an outpatient basis in the doctor’s office.

How to recognize and prevent skin cancer: Tips from Newport Hospital

Melanoma can be fatal

Melanoma, an aggressive skin cancer, belongs in a category of its own because of its ability to spread and be potentially fatal. As a result, surgery is often the only real treatment option. In most melanoma cases, we perform a full-thickness biopsy of the skin lesion to see how deep the lesion is. If a large amount of tissue needs to be removed, or if it’s an area that is highly visible, the surgeon will often work with a cosmetic surgeon to minimize the appearance of scarring.

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