Believed to result from exposure to ultraviolet radiation, skin cancer is an unusual, rapid growth of human skin cells.

The main types of skin cancer include

1. Squamous-cell cancer : Formation of thin, flat cells at the top layer of the epidermis.
2. Basal-cell cancer : Formation of round cells beneath squamous cells.
3. Melanoma : The most common type of skin cancer, melanoma is unnatural growth of skin cells caused due to ultraviolet exposure.

Medical conditions affecting the immune system

Symptoms of Melanoma

1. A mole that looks scaly or bleeds

2. A new dark mole-like spot which grows fast

3. Bruise on the foot that does not heal

4. A new spot on skin which causes pain, itching or bleeding

5. Mole with changing colours, changing shape and growing in size

Curing Skin Cancer

Surgery: The primary treatment of all stages, surgery is aimed at removing the tumor.

Chemotherapy: This therapy is used to either kill the cancer cells or to stop them from dividing through the use of drugs.

Radiation therapy: It is the use of high-energy x-rays and radiation to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing.

Biologic therapy: In this therapy, the patient’s immune system is used to fight cancer. Substances from the body are developed in a laboratory to boost, or restore natural defenses of the body to fight vcancer.

Targeted therapy: In this therapy, drugs or other substances are used to attack cancer cells.