Skin Cancer –  When skin cells grow abnormally

What is skin cancer ? When skin cells grow abnormally, a skin cancer may be diagnosed. It

is a cancer formed from skin tissue . This can either happen to areas

with a lot sun exposure or to skin which is not ordinarily exposed to

sun. There are three major types of skin cancer:

basal cell carcinoma squamous cell carcinoma melanoma The two most common types are basal cell carcinoma and squamous

cell carcinoma. These skin cancer types are highly curable . The third

most common type is melanoma, and it is more dangerous and leads to the most deaths .

What are the risk factors for skin cancer? The majority of cases are caused by overexposure to ultraviolet light. UV light is a kind of radiation , and is invisible for humans. It is emitted from the sun, from tanning beds , and sunlamps . UV rays can penetrate and damage skin cells.

There are three types of UV rays:

• UVA

Most of the UV rays that reaches the earth‘s surface are UVA rays. They can penetrate human skin deeply: this may damage connective tissue and the skin cell’s DNA.

• UVB

UVB rays are mostly absorbed by the ozone (O3) layer. Some of the

UVB light, however, reaches the earth’s surface and helps to synthesize vitamin D in the skin. They don’t reach as far into the skin as UVA rays, but they still cause sunburn and damage to skin cell DNA.

• UVC

These rays are very dangerous , but they are completely absorbed by the ozone layer. Therefore, UVC rays can’t reach the earth’s surface while the ozone layer is intact and no ozone holes exist.

What are the symptoms for skin cancer? The most common sign of skin cancer is a change in your skin, e. g.

a new growth, some spot that doesn’t heal, or a change in a mole . Keep in mind, not all skin cancers look the same.

Specially for melanoma it is easy to remember the warning signs using the A-B-C-D-Es of melanoma:

“A” stands for asymmetrical. Does the mole or spot have an irregular shape die Form, die Gestalt , with two parts that look very different “B” stands for border . Is the border irregular or jagged zerklüftet, zackig ? “C” is for color. Is the color uneven? “D” is for diameter. Is the mole or spot larger than the size of a pea ? “E” is for evolving . Has the mole or spot changed during the past few weeks or months? (source: www.cdc.gov) How to reduce the risks of skin cancer? You can substantially reduce your risks of skin cancer by limiting or completely avoiding overexposure to UV light, especially during the brightest part of the day. Avoid extended exposure to sunbeds and sunlamps. Each sunburn, even light ones, increases your personal risk of skin cancer. Also, regularly check your skin for changes or see a physician for medical prevention, so you can detect abnormalities in the earliest stages . This gives you the greatest chance for successful skin cancer treatment . By using high-factor sunscreen and dressing sensibly in the sun you can protect yourself from sunburn.

How can I protect myself, and my loved-ones? You need to know that just a few serious sunburns can increase a child’s risk of skin cancer later in life. Children‘s skin is very sensitive and needs protection whenever they play outdoors. Seek shade e. g. under a tree, an umbrella, or a pop-up tent, especially during the brightest time of the day. When possible, cover up with long-sleeved shirts and long pants or skirts . Get a hat which shades the face, scalp , ears, and neck. Wear sunglasses which protect your child’s eyes from UV light. Apply sunscreen with at least SPF 15 and UVA and UVB protection. For best protection, apply 30 minutes before going outdoors. Reapply every two hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off. Follow the product directions. If you begin to burn, seek shade and apply a higher factor product immediately.

EXERCISE: 1. Which of the following can be deadly?

a. basal cell carcinoma b. squamous cell carcinoma c. melanoma

2. Which of the following behaviours help to protect you from skin damage?

a. wearing sunglasses b. looking for shade c. wearing a hat d. covering up e. using sunscreen

3. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer.

a. True b. False

You’ll find the answer on: http://tinyurl.com/weiterbildung-englisch

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. www.cdc.gov. 2. www.dict.cc. 3. http://dict.leo.org. 4. Agnew KL, Bunker CB, Arron ST: Fast Facts: Skin Cancer, 2nd edition, Health Press Limited Oxford 2013. 5. www.webster-dictionary.org.

CARMEN LOBITZ Carmen Lobitz ist freie Trainerin, Lehrerin und MTA. Sie gründete 1998 in Berlin lobitz seminare, die unter anderem Englischseminare für Health Professionals anbieten. Kontakt: mail@lobitz-seminare.de www.lobitz-seminare.de

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Lösung für Exercise: Answer: 1. c Answer: 2. a, b, c, d, e Answer: 3. a

Skin Cancer –  When skin cells grow abnormally

What is skin cancer?

What are the risk factors for skin cancer?

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Skin Cancer – When skin cells grow abnormally

What is skin cancer?

What are the risk factors for skin cancer?

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Skin Cancer –  When skin cells grow abnormally