| When it comes to cases of skin cancer, the Long | | | | - small, raised, smooth and shiny patches of skin that |
| Beach dermatologist is part of the treatment team | | | | have a waxy texture |
| that includes the oncologist, the radiologist, the | | | | - small, raised, red or brown marks |
| chemotherapists and others. Skin cancer, or | | | | - unusual scaling or bleeding |
| melanoma, is a potentially serious disease that is | | | | - sores that refuse to heal |
| extremely aggressive and metastasizes quickly. If | | | | These signs do not necessarily mean that you have a |
| you are at risk, you should have one of your local | | | | melanoma; however, you should not take any |
| Long Beach skin doctors examine you frequently, | | | | chances. There are many Long Beach skin doctors |
| because like most forms of cancer, the various Long | | | | who have experience in this area, and they can tell |
| Beach skin cancer treatment options are most | | | | you whether or not your condition is malignant. |
| effective when the disease is caught in the earliest | | | | How Is Skin Cancer Diagnosed? |
| stage. | | | | If there is a patch of skin that looks suspicious, the |
| What Causes Skin Cancer? | | | | Long Beach dermatologist will need a sample, known |
| Although this disease can happen to anyone, there | | | | as a biopsy. A small piece of the area is cut away |
| are certain risk factors that make a person more | | | | and sent to a pathologist who will examine the |
| predisposed to the disease. These include: | | | | sample under a microscope to determine whether or |
| - excessive exposure to sun (natural or artificial) | | | | not cancer is present. Fortunately, melanoma is one |
| - fair skin (people of Nordic ancestry are particularly | | | | of the easier forms of cancer to detect. |
| at risk) | | | | What are the Treatment Options? |
| - scars or burns | | | | If caught in the earliest stage, skin cancer is actually |
| - radiation treatments | | | | one of the easiest to treat - the offending tissue is |
| - arsenic exposure | | | | simply cut away. This may not be the end of it |
| - taking immunosuppressive drugs | | | | though because there is always a chance that the |
| - chronic skin inflammation or ulcers | | | | cancer will recur; patients usually require ongoing |
| People with a condition known as actinic keratosis, | | | | monitoring to make sure that a few outlaw cells |
| which is marked by thick, scaly and/or crusty | | | | have not spread to other parts of the body. |
| patches of skin. This condition is not malignant by | | | | If there is metastasis, chemotherapy and radiation |
| itself but can be a precursor to the disease. | | | | treatments may be required. Long Beach skin doctors |
| What Are The Symptoms? | | | | can educate you of what to expect and refer you |
| Signs of skin cancer may manifest themselves as any | | | | to an oncologist for further treatment. |
| or all of the following: | | | | |