Articles Tagged with melanoma

Failure to diagnose skin cancer can be fatal. However if it is caught in a timely manner, the worst can be avoided and the cancer can be treated. Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancers with 5 million Americans being diagnosed every year. Among the various types of skin cancers, melanoma is the most dangerous.

Who is at risk?

Anybody can get skin cancer however people with fair skins, light colored eyes, red hair, with a skin that burns easily or that freckles easily have a higher risk than others. People with a history of sunburns or people who are exposing themselves frequently to the sun or are using tanning beds also have a higher risk to get cancer than those who protect their skin from the sun. Skin cancer can also be genetic and runs in some families. Additionally people who have a large number of moles are also at higher risk of contracting skin cancer and should have their moles regularly checked by a specialist to screen for malignancy.