Skin cancer

The main articles are:

• Cancer (cancer)
• Human skin

Types of skin tumors

There are several varieties of malignant skin tumors - the type of cancer depends on the cells from which the tumor originates. The most common skin cancers are basal and squamous cell carcinomas, melanoma. The latter - rare, but the most aggressive - is able to spread to other organs, so cases of melanoma are separated into separate statistics. Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin can also metastasize, but this happens less often than in the case of melanoma, but the probability of spreading basal cell carcinoma to other organs is almost zero.

According to the World Health Organization, available for 2020, more than 2 million people are diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer every year, and 132 thousand are diagnosed with melanoma.

Melanoma

Main article: Melanoma

Skin cancer risk factors

The main risk factor for skin cancer is UV radiation, which damages the DNA of skin cells. Cells accumulate mutations that can cause tumor cells to develop. Frequent exposure to the sun without protection, visiting a tanning bed increases the likelihood of developing skin cancer.

Other risk-enhancing factors include:

• Light skin, light and red hair, freckles.
• Sunburn in childhood and adulthood.
• A large number of moles on the body.
• Skin cancer in close relatives (parents, brothers, sisters).
• History of skin cancer.
• Weakened immune system. This happens, for example, with HIV infection, the treatment of cancer, organ transplantation.

2024: High levels of cancer-causing chemical benzene found in dozens of acne remedies

In March 2024, it became known that high levels of the cancer-causing chemical benzene were found in dozens of acne remedies. Dangerous creams include Proactiv, Clearasil and Target products.

Skin cancer prevention

Skin cancer is not always preventable, but some measures will help reduce the risk. In the first place is protection from the sun: Avoid the sun during the hours of its greatest activity - on average, from 10:00 to 16:00.

Use sunscreen with SPF-30 and above, even if it's cloudy outside. SPF is a sun protection factor, the number nearby denotes the degree of protection. Cream with SPF-30 blocks up to 97% of type B (UVB) ultraviolet rays that cause sunburn. A wide-spectrum sunscreen also protects against type A UV rays (UVA), which lead to premature skin aging. I will tell you when the cream is definitely needed, the Weather application, which is on many phones. In addition to air temperature, it shows a UV index. If it's 3 or higher, apply the cream. This must be done 15 minutes before leaving the house. You need to update the protection every two hours and more often if you were in the water or sweating. Apply cream to open areas of the body, not forgetting about the neck, ears, feet. Balm with SPF^[1] can be applied to the lips].

Wear closed clothes, wide-brimmed hats - to cover your neck and ears, or special clothing with sun filters. Remember to protect your eyes - look for sunglasses that don't miss UVA and UVB rays. On such glasses can be written, for example, UB 400.

Don't visit sunbeds. One tanning session in the tanning bed increases the risk of developing melanoma by 20%, squamous cell skin cancer by 67% and basal cell cancer by 29%.

Another component of prevention is self-examination. Check your skin regularly in front of the mirror. Remember to carefully examine the back surface of the body, between the fingers and toes, neck, ears and genitals. If you notice something unusual - a mole, increased in size, a wound appeared that does not heal for a long time, itches, wet, see a dermatologist or oncologist.

The use of medicines (some antibiotics, antihistamines, statins) can cause a side effect in some people - to increase the sensitivity of the skin to exposure to sunlight. In this case, after staying in the sun, redness similar to sunburn or a rash appear on the skin. Ask your doctor about the possible side effects of the medications you are taking. To protect yourself, avoid sunlight.

2023

Skolkovo resident registered an AI system for diagnosing skin cancer

The company AIMED"," a resident Skolkovo"," received a registration certificate for the system of support for medical decision-making Pro-birthmarks"." neural network The technology-based service is designed to help a doctor make decisions when diagnosing skin neoplasms from photographs. Skolkovo reported this on December 28, 2023. More. here

A unique digital portable dermatoscope has been created in Russia

In early August 2023, it became known about the creation in Russia of a unique digital portable dermatoscope, which will help doctors visualize skin defects in multiple magnification, study their structure and characteristics. The device allows detecting bacterial, fungal, viral infections, as well as detecting malignant formations in the early stages. Read more here.

Introduced a scanner with 92 cameras to create a 3D avatar of a patient with neoplasms

In early June 2023, it became known about the introduction in California hospitals of the Hoag network of the new three-dimensional imaging system of the entire body Vectra WB360, developed by Canfield Scientific. This complex is designed to create a patient's 3D avatar in order to detect possible skin cancer. Read more here.

Artificial intelligence device for detecting skin cancer without biopsy comes out

On June 6, 2023, DeepX Diagnostics announced the release of an innovative DermoSight device designed to detect skin cancer without biopsy. The system is based on a patented technology with artificial intelligence algorithms. Read more here.

Moderna and Merck create vaccine to prevent recurrence of skin cancer

On April 16, 2023, Moderna and Merck developed a cancer vaccine that showed promise in a key study, reducing the risk of recurrence or death by 44%. Read more here.

DermaSensor Proven Skin Cancer Detection

On March 17, 2023, at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), DermaSensor released data from two clinical studies that evaluated the effectiveness of its device for detecting skin cancer. Read more here.

2022

Moderna has created a vaccine against skin cancer. It reduces the risk of death or recurrence of the disease by 44%

In mid-December 2022, Moderna announced the preliminary results of the second phase of clinical trials of the RNA vaccine against melanoma. A study with one and a half hundred sick volunteers shows that the new drug increases the chances of curing aggressive skin cancer by almost 50%. Merck also participated in the creation of the vaccine. Read more here.

Starting production of a portable device for detecting skin cancer in a couple of seconds

On June 15, 2022, it became known that the production of a portable device for detecting skin cancer in a couple of seconds began in the United States. We are talking about the DermaSensor device, for the commercial launch of which the manufacturer attracted $10 million in investments. Read more here.

Launch of the sale of a portable scanner for detecting skin cancer

In May 2022, Stevens Institute of Technology announced sales of the portable device, which, according to the developers, will halve the number of unnecessary biopsies in skin cancer. The device will also provide dermatologists and other physicians with easy access to laboratory diagnosis of cancer. Read more here.

2019: Yandex voice assistant now finds potentially dangerous moles to fight skin cancer

On October 16, 2019, it became known about the appearance in the voice assistant "Alice" of the function of identifying dangerous moles to fight skin cancer. It was developed by Eora in conjunction with the Live Without Fear social project. Read more here.

See also

• Unified Digital Oncology Diagnostics System
• Cancer treatment
• Breast cancer (BC)
• Lung cancer

Links

• Melanoma and skin cancer

Notes