Common Approaches for Skin Cancer Treatment
This article explores common skin cancer treatments, focusing on melanoma detection and stage-specific therapies. Emphasizing early diagnosis, it discusses surgical options, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy, highlighting recent advances to improve patient outcomes.
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Skin cancer, particularly melanoma, originates in melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigmentation. Excessive sun exposure is a leading cause of melanoma. Typically, it appears on the arms, legs, face, or back, often as a new mole or an unusual dark spot. Detection involves monitoring moles using the ABCDE criteria, which assess asymmetry, border, color, diameter, and evolution.
While other skin cancer types may respond to chemotherapy and targeted drugs, melanoma often presents treatment challenges. Early diagnosis is crucial for effective management, achieved through skin biopsies such as shave, punch, or excisional methods.
Advances in melanoma treatment have expanded options, with up to 11 different approaches depending on tumor stage and patient factors. The treatment plan varies by stage:
Stage 0: Surgical removal is typically effective at this early stage.
Stage 1: Surgery to excise the tumor and surrounding tissue, along with lymph node mapping and clinical trials, are recommended.
Stage 2: Surgery followed by immunotherapy with interferon and participation in clinical trials.
Stage 3: When surgical removal isn't feasible, chemotherapy and palliative treatments are utilized.
