Skin cancer is caused by damage to the skin, usually from too much ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
Skin cancer is caused by damage to the skin, usually from too much ultraviolet radiation from the sun. 1
There are three major types of skin cancer: 1
Squamous cell carcinoma and Basal cell carcinoma are both non-melanoma skin cancers. Melanoma is the most serious of skin cancers. 1 Merkel cell carcinoma is another rare type of skin cancer.
Melanoma often has no symptoms, but the first sign you may notice is a mole that changes in appearance, such as: 5
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) accounts for approximately 30% of non-melanoma cancers, and tends to grow quickly over a few weeks or months.6
Symptoms include:6
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) accounts for approximately 70% of non-melanoma cancers, it often has very few or no symptoms and tends to be slow growing.6
Symptoms include:
Melanoma can be described in stages from 0 to IV, which are aimed at determining the depth (or thickness) of the melanoma and the involvement of the lymph nodes and other organs: 5
Non-melanoma usually a biopsy will be performed to determine the stage of the cancer, as well as the use of the TNM system, which stands for: 7
Yes. Unprotected sun exposure can result in burns to the eyes, just like the skin, resulting in and cancer of the cornea (the outermost layer of the eye) or conjunctiva (thin layer that covers the front part of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelids) and increases the risk of cataracts.3
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists endorse the following points in protecting your eyes from sun damage and related cancers.2
Cancer Council Australia recommend using eye protection when the UV (ultraviolet) index is greater than 3 by:
There is strong evidence to suggest that vitamin D is essential in making strong bones and maintaining skeletal health.4 Whilst some vitamin D can be obtained from the diet, our main source of vitamin D is from the sun.
Based on the position statement approved by the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society, the Australasian College of Dermatologists, Cancer Council Australia, Endocrine Society of Australia and Osteoporosis Australia, the following recommendations have been made for the general healthy population: 4
