Learning everything about the symptoms and treatment options of skin cancer can prove to be extremely beneficial in controlling the condition. Usually, skin cancer symptoms are associated with a mole or a freckle. But in most cases, the symptoms depend on the skin cancer type. The treatment options are also dependent on various factors. This article discusses all of them in detail.

Symptoms of various types of skin cancer

Actinic keratosis
Also referred to as precancer, this type is usually identified by lesions that are crusty or scaly. These lesions can appear on different parts of the body such as:

• Back of the hands
• Scalp
• Neck
• Lips
• Ears
• Face
• Forearms
• Shoulders

In some cases, the size of these lesions can be so small that they can only be felt and not seen. They are usually red, but sometimes they can also be pink or tan color.

Basal cell carcinoma
The symptoms of this type of skin cancer can include:

• Developing a sore that does not go away even after a week or 10 days
• A patch on the skin which can get hurt or bleed out easily
• A bump that appears to be white, pink, or red on light colored skin. In case of darker skin, the bump can appear to be brown, black, or tan color

Squamous cell carcinoma
The symptoms of this type can include the following:

• Development of patches that are scaly and that can bleed easily
• Sores that are open and can bleed out, crust, and then don’t heal easily
• A wart that can bleed and crust

Treatment for skin cancer
The treatment options for skin cancer and precancerous lesions will depend on a lot of factors, aside from the symptoms of course. These will include the size, they type, the location, and the depth of the lesions. Skin cancers that are limited to the skin surface might only require a skin biopsy. But if the condition has become serious, it can require a more advanced approach and that can include the following treatment options.

• Excisional surgery
  In this, the cancerous tissue and the margin surrounding the healthy skin is cut out by a doctor. In some cases, some extra healthy skin can also be removed.
• Mohs surgery
  This is a treatment option for skin cancers that have been recurring or have not been easy to cure. It is usually done in areas where preservation of maximum skin is required, such as the nose.
• Radiation therapy
  In this procedure, high energy beams are used to destroy the cancer cells. This therapy can be a treatment option in cases where surgery cannot remove the entire cancer from the body.
• Photodynamic therapy
  In this treatment, a combination of drugs and laser lights is used to kill cancer cells.

With this vital knowledge about the symptoms and treatment options of skin cancer, you can hopefully understand the disease better.