Skin cancer: medical advancements and effective treatments

Early diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment. The skin, as the body's largest organ, is constantly exposed to environmental aggressions, making it susceptible to genetic alterations in epidermal cells that lead to uncontrolled proliferation. Any new anomaly or change in a mole requires prompt medical examination by a specialist.

The World Health Organization emphasizes that excessive sun exposure is a pervasive danger, particularly for outdoor professionals. Skin cancers are classified based on their origin cells, each with distinct clinical progression and requiring specific management. Basal cell carcinoma, forming in the deep layer of the epidermis, grows slowly, creating shiny or ulcerated lesions on sun-exposed areas.

Squamous cell carcinoma, originating from squamous cells, is more aggressive, causing hard, crusty plaques. These two types account for most dermatological oncology diagnoses. Melanoma, though rarer, originates in melanocytes and has a high metastatic potential, spreading rapidly to other organs.

Vigilance for any mole transformation is vital for identifying malignant melanoma, with doctors using the ABCDE rule Asymmetry, Borders, Color, Diameter, Evolution to detect anomalies. Other atypical tumors like Merkel cell carcinoma, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, Kaposi's sarc