What is cancer? Cancer is a disease of the cells which are the bodys basic building blocks.

our
bodies constantly make new cells to help us grow, to replace worn out cells and to heal damaged
cells after an injury. Cells normally grow and multiply in an orderly way, but sometimes something
goes wrong with the process and cells grow in a uncontrollable way. This uncontrolled growth may
result in abnormal blood cells or may develop into a lump called a tumour. A tumour can be benign
or malignant. A benign tumour does not spread to other parts of your body. A malignant tumour is
made up of cancer cells, which grows out of control and are able to spread. the place where a
cancer begins is called primary cancer. When it first develops, a malignant tumour may not have
invaded nearby tissue. This is known as a cancer in-situ (carcinoma in-situ) or localised cancer.
Cancer can spread to other parts of the body by traveling through the bloodstream to other parts of
the body by traveling through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. They may continue to grow
into another tumour at a new site. This is called secondary cancer or metastasis. a metastasis
keeps the name of cancer. Skin cancer can be defined is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal
cells in skin. Cancer that only affects cells in the skin's top layer is called superficial cancer.
Cancer that spreads deeply into the skin or to other parts of the body is known as invasive cancer.
The different types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma
(SCC) and melanoma. Bcc makes up 70% of non-melanoma skin cancer. Bcc commonly develops
on the head, neck and upper body. It may appear as a pearly lump or a scaly or dry area that is
pale or pink in colour. Bcc may bleed and become inflamed, and dead tissue may slough off
ulcerate. Some bcc heal then break down again. Bcc tends to grow slowly and don't usually
spread to other parts of the body. However, if bcc is left untreated or grows larger than 5 cm, it
may grow deeper into the skin and damage nearby tissue. This may make treatment more difficult
and increase the chance of the bcc returning. SCC account for about 30% of non-melanoma skin
cancers. SCC usually appears on areas of the skin that are most often exposed to the sun
such as the head, neck hands, forearms or lower legs. It often appears as a thickened red, scaly
lump. SCC may look like a sore that hasn't healed.cc tend to grow quickly over several weeks or
months. it is possible for SCC to spread to each other parts of the body- SCC on the lips, ears,
scalp, or temples has a high risk of spreading and should be seen by a doctor immediately.
Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. 2 out of 3 people who spend their life in
Australia will develop some form of skin cancer. BCC and SCC are the most common types of
non- melanoma skin cancer. In Australia, about 370000 cases of BCC and SCC are diagnosed
and treated each year. Bcc can develop in young people but is common in people aged over 40
years. SCC occurs mostly in people aged over 50. More than 10300 cases of melanoma are
diagnosed in Australia each year. The main cause of skin cancer is Ultraviolet radiation. The sun
produces uv radiation but it can also come from other sources, such as solarium tanning
machines. This radiation cannot be seen or felt but can cause sunburn, premature ageing of the
skin, and damage to skin cells, which lead to skin cancer. Skin cancer is related to 2 factors: A
person's total lifetimes exposure to uv radiation and number of sunburns they had. Research
suggests that while skin cells are often damaged in childhood, it may be sun exposure in
adulthood that triggers these damaged cells.
The best way to prevent skin cancer is to prevent your skin from skin from the sun and others
source of uv radiation. Wear clothing that covers as much of your skin as possible including the
back of your neck. Shirts with long shorts that cover a large part of your legs are ideal. The best
protection comes from closely woven fabric, as UV radiation through the thin material. Use
sunscreen with protection factor (spf)30+ That is broad spectrum and water resistant. Apply
sunscreen 20 minutes before going out and reapply every 2 hours or after swimming or any activity
that causes you to sweat or rub off. Wear a hat that shades your face, neck and ears. Broad brim,
bucket style and legionnaire style hats provide good protection. Baseball caps are not
recommended. adults hats should have at least 8-10 cm brim. Use shades from trees, umbrellas,
buildings or any type of canopy. Uv rays can bounce off concrete water and sand, causing you to
burn. Protect your eyes with sunglasses that meet the Australian standard AS 1067.

Treatment sometimes the skin cancer is removed with biopsy and no further treatment is needed.
SURGERY is the most common and successful treatment for skin cancer. it is used if the skin
cancer is large and or has spread beyond the surface of the skin. The operation is usually a quick
and simple procedure. But it can be more complicated if the skin cancer is on your face, scalp or
lower legs. The doctor will cut off the skin cancer and close up the wound. a larger skin cancer
may need a skin flap, nearby skin is pulled over the wound and stitched. Less commonly, a shaver
of skin will be taken from another part of your body and used to fill the area where the skin cancer
was removed. This is a skin graft. CRYOTHERAPY- sunspots and superficial BCCs may be
treated using a freezing technique called cryotherapy. Liquid nitrogen is sprayed onto the
abnormal skin spot and small area of skin around it. This freezes and kills the skin cells and
creates a wound. the wound will be slightly sore and red for a few days and may weep or develop
a blister. the area might look as if it has been burnt. The doctor will cover the treatment with a
bandage. after 10 days, a crust will form on the wound and the dead tissue will fall off. new healthy
skin cells will grow and a scar may form. Healing can take a few weeks. The main side effects of
cryotherapy are a change in skin pigmentation. RADIOTHERAPY- radiotherapy treats
cancer by using x-rays to kill cancer cells. it is usually used in areas that are hard to treat with
surgery, such as skin near the eyes, nose or forehead. It can also be used for skin cancers that
have grown deeply into the skin. You will lie on a treatment table while radiotherapy machine is
positioned around you. This can take 10-30 minutes but the radiotherapy treatment itself will
probably only take a few minutes. Treatment sessions are usually given over several weeks. Skin
in the treatment area may become red and sore after 2-3 weeks of radiotherapy. WHAT IS
MELANOMA? - Melanoma is a type of skin cancer. It usually occurs on parts of the body that have
been overexposed to the sun. However, melanoma can also start in a part of the skin or another
part of the body that has never been exposed to the sun, such as the nervous system, eye and
mucous membrane. Melanoma is the least common skin cancer but the most serious one. If found
early it is often curable.Some different types of melanoma include superficial spreading melanoma-
Brown or black spot that spreads across the outer layers of the skin, Nodular melanoma-is a raised
lump on the surface of the skin of that is very dark brownish-black in colour, Lentigo maligna
melanoma is a large freckle in an area of skin that has had a lot of sun exposer. Sometimes
melanoma runs in families. For most people this is due from skin type or too much sun exposure in
childhood. However in a small number of people 5-10%, melanoma may be caused by an inherited
faulty gene. Some of these genes have been identified. Some of the signs are that 2 or more close
relatives who had it or another risk factor is someone who has had more than one melanoma. Who
is at risk? Skin type- some people have skin sensitive to uv, If an adult has lots of moles around 10
on arm 100 on body, childhood tanning- too much over exposure before the age of 15 increases
the chance, age, uv exposure, cancer history. The sooner a skin cancer is identified and treated,
the better your chance of avoiding surgery or, in the case of a serious melanoma or other skin
cancer, potential disfigurement or even death. It is also a good idea to talk to your doctor about
your level of risk and for advice on early detection. Become familiar with the look of your skin, so
you pick up any changes that might suggest a skin cancer. Look for: any crusty, non-healing sores
small lumps that are red, pale or pearly in colour new spots, freckles or any moles changing in
colour, thickness or shape over a period of weeks to months (especially those dark brown to black,
red or blue-black in colour).ENVIRAMENTAL CAUSES lifestyle. The campaign features Wes'
family and friends. It demonstrates that Wes and his friends were typical young Australians who
lived an active lifestyle playing cricket or going to the beach. The campaign challenges the belief
that skin cancer and melanoma are not serious and do not affect young people. It also reminds the
audience that there is more than most people can do to protect themselves from the sun and to
prevent skin cancer.