Skin Cancer Information - FORMATION AND CAUSES OF SKIN CANCER

....._Cancer of the skin, like other cancers, is a disease of the cells. Cells are the tiny individual structures that make up all parts of the body. Although they differ in shape and function in various organs, all cells reproduce themselves by dividing. Normal growth and repair of tissue takes place in an orderly fashion. When cell division is not orderly and controlled, abnormal growth occurs. Masses of tissue called tumors build up. Tumors may be benign or malignant. Benign tumors do not spread. A malignant tumor is a cancer. By definition, cancerous tumors can invade and destroy surrounding normal tissue as they grow. Occasionally, cancer cells may break away from the tumor and metastasize (spread) through either the blood or lymphatic vessels to distant parts of the body where they form additional cancerous tumors. Metastasis is an ominous sign and may lead to death.

.. ....Skin cancers form, as do many other things in life, because of an interplay between genes and environment. Environment, in this case exposure to the sun, appears to be the leading cause of skin cancer. This is why skin cancers commonly develop on the face, neck and arms. Cancers of the skin are more common in the sunny, southern areas of the United States. Skin cancer also tends to be genetic (hereditary) and occurs very frequently in certain ethnic groups, especially those with fair complexions, such as Northern Italians and Celts, especially the Irish.

......Other possible causes of skin cancer include x-rays, trauma and certain chemicals. For example, dentists frequently develop skin cancer on their hands from working with X-rays. Additionally, people in the southern U.S. who consumed drinking water containing arsenic from the natural water supply developed precancers and cancers on the palms of the hands, not as rare as one might think in the years past!

Paul J. Weber, M.D., P.A.
5353 North Federal Highway, Suite 400
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
Tel: 954-489-9800 | Fax: 954-489-0401