In Guyana, skin cancer is one of those medical conditions that does not get much attention. However, Guyanese may be well advised to learn about skin cancer because it could be deadly. Fortunately, death from skin cancer may be avoided in the majority of instances. A person has only to take a few simple precautions to avoid getting it in the first place, and, be vigilant enough to find it early if it develops, anyway.
Guyanese should learn about the disease because, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation – a New York based, internationally operating organisation — “Every hour more than two people die from skin cancer [in the United States alone]. The primary cause of skin cancer is ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and indoor tanning beds. The incidence and impact of skin cancer can be dramatically reduced through education, lifestyle changes, and early detection.”
Skin cancer is any cancer that starts in the tissues of the skin. While the singular term, “skin cancer” is often used, the condition is actually a group of various cancers that have different origins, various specific characteristics, and diverse possible outlooks. But they have one thing in common; they all start in the skin.
Cancer specialists (oncologists) say that about 90 percent of skin cancers are caused by exposure to UV radiation in sunlight. People living in sunny Guyana should be aware of that fact.
Oncologists say that there are three main types of skin cancers: basal-cell skin cancer (BCC), squamous-cell skin cancer (SCC) and melanoma; the deadliest form of skin cancer.
Basal-cell cancer grows slowly and can damage the tissue around it but it is unlikely to spread to distant areas of the body or result in death. It often appears as a painless raised area of skin that may be shiny with small blood vessels running over it, or, as a raised area with an ulcer, or, as we say in Guyana, a sore.
Squamous-cell skin cancer is more likely to spread. It feels like a hard lump with a scaly top but it may also form a sore.
Melanomas are the most aggressive, most dangerous kind of skin cancer. Signs of it include a mole that has changed in size, shape, color, has irregular edges, has more than one color, or is itchy or bleeds.
While all skin cancers are more prevalent in people who have light colored skin, the deadliest one, melanoma, is found mostly in people with darker skin. Also, unlike the other less dangerous cancers, melanoma often develops in the mouth, nose, and even occasionally, in the eye.
While UV radiation from sunlight is by far the leading cause of skin cancers, there are other factors that are known to increase the risk.
Infection with some viruses are known to either cause cancers or increase the cancer risk. Such viruses include the human papilloma virus (HPV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and H. Pylori virus; the virus that causes stomach ulcers.
Other factors also increase the risk. Cigarette smoking is the biggest one. Smoking increases the likelihood of getting all types of cancers including skin cancer. Excessive alcohol consumption is another known contributor. Exposure to ionising radiation such as X-rays is another factor, as well as getting a sunburn.
With such knowledge, it is possible to take steps to prevent skin cancer.
People who work outdoors in harsh sunlight between the “dangerous hours” of 9 am and 4 pm are at heightened risk. Those people may include construction workers, itinerant vendors who “walk and sell,” weeders, and others who are outside during the day.
Those people should cover up the skin with opaque clothing. Using sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or more is also recommended by Guyanese oncologists.
Giving up cigarette smoking is always a good idea, and so is avoiding excessive alcohol drinking.
Apart from prevention, oncologists recommend vigilance. Knowing the symptoms of skin cancer, it is important to consult a doctor if anything unusual is suspected. In a sunny country such as Guyana, some oncologists say that one should see a doctor if anything strange is observed on the skin. If skin cancer is caught early, it could be quickly diagnosed, treated, and cured.
Guyanese should take matters of health seriously, including skin cancer. You see, even though skin cancer does not get much attention, such cancers account for more than 40 percent of all cancers worldwide.
