Treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer – what you need to know

Skin is the largest organ of the body. Skin covers the entire body and helps to fight harmful environmental factors. Changes in skin structure and activity can lead to benign tumors such as skin tumors, moles, and milia, or malignant tumors such as skin cancer. In particular, skin cancer is divided into two types: melanoma and non-melanoma. So, what is non-melanoma skin cancer, can it be cured? Here, let's learn about non-melanoma skin cancer and treatment methods with SignsSymptomsList.

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• 1. What is non-melanoma skin cancer?
• 2. Is there a way to prevent the disease?
• 3. Treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer
• 4. Monitor and note after treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer

1. What is non-melanoma skin cancer?

Non-melanoma skin cancer is a common type of skin cancer. Similar to other cancer groups, non-melanoma cancer is characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of skin cells.

Symptoms of non-melanoma skin cancer

Usually, non-melanoma skin cancer begins in the basal cells in the top layer of the skin. This type of cancer is called basal cell carcinoma. It accounts for about 75%-80% of all skin cancers. Non-melanoma cancers can also originate in squamous cells, located in the outer part of the epidermis.

 This type of cancer is called squamous cell carcinoma. It accounts for about 20% of all skin cancers. Both types tend to progress slowly and are often detected early. There are also rare types of non-melanoma skin cancers. These include Merkel cell carcinoma and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Non-melanoma skin cancers are usually less aggressive than melanoma. In rare cases, it also metastasizes to other organs.

2. Is there a way to prevent the disease?

To prevent non-melanoma skin cancer, you should limit direct exposure to the sun

• Avoid exposure to direct sunlight.
• Do not sunbathe between 10am and 4pm. You should only sunbathe in the early morning, not to sunburn the skin.
• People who have to work outdoors should have labor protection such as hats, long-sleeved clothes or umbrellas to avoid the sun.
• Beauty methods such as whitening baths that lose the stratum corneum on the skin easily cause skin cancer.
• When working in contact with chemicals and radiation, it is necessary to perform good hygiene and safety at work, such as wearing gloves, boots, protective clothing, glasses, masks.
• Regularly clean the skin, avoid and promptly treat the symptoms of inflammation on the skin.

>> Learn more Sunburn: Serious harm and how to fix it

3. Treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer

In most cases, non-melanoma skin cancer is curable, especially when detected and treated early. Currently, there are many methods to choose from when it comes to treatment. But you need to consult with your doctor about the pros and cons of each before deciding which is right for you.

Local treatment

With precancerous, small skin cancers, or cancers of the epidermis, treatment is usually quite simple. There are several methods that are non-invasive or cause unnecessary harm to other parts of the body.

Gels and creams . Chemotherapy drugs target and kill cancer cells, while immune response drugs stimulate the body's own defenses to attack a certain area. There are several topical forms available to apply to the affected skin. Depending on the drug, the application can last from 2 days to 3 months. Topical medications cause mild to severe skin irritation.

Liquid nitrogen . Your doctor may recommend cryosection of a cancerous skin tumor. This will be repeated several times to kill the cancer cells. Your skin will blister and scab over. But after healing, only scars remain at the tumor site.

Surgical treatment

Non-melanoma skin cancer surgery

Basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers are the two most common types of non-melanoma skin cancer. Surgery is often used to treat them. These procedures usually take a few minutes to an hour and require only local anesthesia.

Excision: Your doctor will use a blade to remove the cancer, as well as some uncancerous skin. This is a quick process, often requires stitches, and will leave a scar.

Electric suction and curettage: After your doctor removes the cancer cells, he or she will use an electric needle to probe the skin around that area to kill any remaining cancer cells. This process will be repeated a few times during the exam and may leave a scar.

Mohs surgery: In this surgery, your doctor removes thin layers of skin from the affected area and looks at them under a microscope for cancer cells. Mohs is often used for cancers of the face.

How is radiotherapy?

Radiation therapy to treat tumors

If you don't want surgery or your tumor is too large, then radiation therapy may be an option. It uses high-energy rays (such as X-rays) or particles (such as photons, electrons, or protons) to kill your cancer cells.

To treat skin cancer, external radiation is focused on the tumor to kill or stop its growth. To help limit many side effects, your doctor will likely use electron beam radiation because it doesn't go as deep into your skin.

However, if the skin cancer has spread to other organs, your doctor may use internal radiation therapy – which delivers radioactive materials inside the affected area.

Side effects of radiation therapy include:

• Skin irritation
• Change skin color and texture
• Hair loss, hair
• Injury to the salivary glands and teeth (when treating near those areas)

Phototherapy

The treatment is suitable if your skin has the following condition:

• Active keratosis, a precancerous
• Basal cell carcinoma near the surface of the skin
• Bowen's disease, also known as focal squamous cell carcinoma

With phototherapy, your doctor uses a special light along with a drug to kill cancer cells. The medicine works like a cream applied to the cancerous area. First, you need to wait at least 3-6 hours for the skin to absorb the medicine. In some cases, you may have to wait up to 14-16 hours. When your doctor turns on the light, it activates the drug to kill the cancer.

Phototherapy is similar to other treatments. On the other hand, its advantages are no long-term side effects and no scarring.

4. Monitor and note after treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer

After the treatment is complete, it is necessary to take skin protection measures

Once the treatment is done and the affected area has healed, you need to protect the skin. Many treatments can make your skin more sensitive to the sun. You must apply a broad spectrum sunscreen daily to all exposed skin. Also reapply every two hours when outside. Avoid placement near windows, cover with hats and long sleeves. Avoid the sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

>> Learn more Uses and ingredients of sunscreens

Skin cancer still has the potential to recur. So it's all the more important to check your skin regularly. At the same time, you need to find out the reasons that increase the incidence of skin cancer and prevent the disease from recurring. At the same time, do not forget to check your general health 1-2 times a year. If you suspect you have skin cancer, see your doctor for timely advice

Doctor Nguyen Van Huan