Skin Cancer Center

Skin Cancer Center Skin Cancer Center-About a million people in the United States are diagnosed with skin cancer every year. It is the most common type of cancer in the U.S. According to current estimates, 40 to 50 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will have skin cancer at least once. Although anyone can get skin cancer, the risk is higher if you have fair skin that freckles easily, often with red or blond hair and blue or light-colored eyes. Types of skin cancer include melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer. Artificial sources of UV radiation, such as sunlamps and tanning booths, can also cause skin cancer. The risk of developing skin cancer is affected by where you live. People who live in areas that get high levels of UV radiation from the sun are more likely to get skin cancer. In the United States, for example, skin cancer is more common in Texas than it is in Minnesota, where the sun is not as strong. Worldwide, the highest rates of skin cancer are found in South Africa and Australia, areas that receive high amounts of UV radiation. In addition, skin cancer is related to lifetime exposure to UV radiation. Most skin cancers appear after age 50, but the sun\'s damaging effects begin at an early age. Therefore, protection should start in childhood in order to help prevent skin cancer later in life. Whenever possible, people should avoid exposure to the midday sun (from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Standard Time, or from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Daylight Savings Time). Keep in mind that protective clothing, such as sun hats and long sleeves, can block out the sun\'s harmful rays. Also, lotions that contain sunscreen can protect the skin. Sunscreens are rated in strength according to a sun protection factor (SPF), which ranges from 2 to 30 or higher. Those rated 15 to 30 block most of the sun\'s harmful rays. At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), we use many tools to help you fight skin cancer on all fronts. A powerful combination of traditional and new, innovative therapies are provided by cancer experts who work with you to determine the appropriate combination of therapies, which may include: Surgery is often used as a treatment for skin cancer. There are several types of surgery, depending on the stage and location of the cancer. Radiation therapy is treatment that uses high-energy rays (such as x-rays) to kill or shrink cancer cells. Topical chemotherapy is a kind of chemotherapy that is placed directly on the skin rather than being given by mouth or injected into a vein. In addition to the conventional treatments described above, CTCA enriches your treatment by offering complementary and alternative therapies such as naturopathic medicine, nutritional therapy, mind-body medicine, and spiritual support. CTCA is with you every step of the way in what truly is the fight of your life.