In the 21^st century skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer amongst both men and women. Current estimates are that there are 1 million new cases of various forms of the disease being diagnosed annually, and that number is increasing every year. Other studies have suggested that by the time they are 65 almost half of the American population will have developed some form of skin cancer at least once.

There are three common types of skin cancer;  squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma and melanoma. Although the three fall under the same disease umbrella they are distinctly different from one another.

Basal cell carcinoma accounts for almost 90% of the skin cancer cases diagnosed on a yearly basis in the United States. Although these cancers rarely ever spread, or metastasize as it is medically termed, they do cause damage by growing and invading into neighboring healthy tissue.

Pale skin, age and the level of sun exposure are all major risk factors for developing basal cell carcinoma. Once considered a disease for older people there are a rising number of basal carcinomas being diagnosed in young people in their twenties and thirties. Unlike squamous cell carcinoma, which is associated with prolonged sun exposure over a period of years, medical researchers feel that basal cell carcinomas are more likely to be linked to childhood sunburns or irregular exposure to the sun such as vacationers receive.

Both basal and squamous cell carcinomas manifest themselves as irregularities on the skin, which is why any new or changed moles should be reported to a doctor as soon as possible. Treatment for both forms of skin cancer is usually surgical in nature often followed by courses of radiation and or chemotherapy to ensure that all the cancer is gone. The facts seem to suggest that if treated promptly both basal and squamous cell carcinomas are completely curable, and it is only when left undetected they can become a threat to survival.

Melanomas on the other hand are a different story. Melanoma begins in specific cells in the body called melanocytes. Melanocytes are found in the lower layers of the epidermis and produce melanin, the substance that gives skin its pigment. When skin is exposed to sunlight more melanin is produced, which is the cause of a “suntan”.

Clusters of these cells often clump together to form what we know as moles. When these melanocytes become cancerous the danger begins. Now known as melanomas, they can spread rapidly through the body, affecting the lymph nodes, making the disease difficult to treat.

Melanomas can appear at any age and on any part of the body.  Often the first indication that the disease is present is a change in the size or color of an existing mole. Melanoma may also manifest itself as a new mole but one that is black or misshapen.