Skin Cancer
Think of seven close friends. One of these people will develop some form of skin cancer during his/her lifetime. It may be basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or malignant melanoma. He/she probably has several risk factors, such as a family history, severe sunburns in the past, or fair skin. The cancer may be treated and cured, or it could spread throughout his/her body. This disease kills many people each year. It can be prevented with sunscreen and many other precautions.
All mammals' bodies are covered in skin. Made of two layers, the human skin plays a vital role in the health of human beings. These layers include the epidermis and the dermis. Providing protection for the body is the epidermis, or outer layer of the skin. Waterproof and tough, it can withstand harsh conditions. Directly underneath the epidermis is the dermis. This is the inner layer. It is thicker than the epidermis. This layer gives the skin its elasticity, allowing it to stretch- within limits. The epidermis and the dermis are bonded together by the basement membrane. This thin layer of tissue is actually very complex. Lurking below the dermis is the subcutaneous fat. Although this layer is not considered part of the skin, it does aid in the sense of touch (Skin, 1).
In the eighteenth century, a British physician was the first person to conclude that an external agent could cause skin cancer. This man, Percival Pott, realized that the sores on the chimneysweepers of London were actually a skin cancer. This was a medical milestone (Leffell, 1).
Skin cancer is the most common of all the types of cancers (Skin Cancer, 1). It is a disease where malignant, or cancerous, cells can be found in some layer of the skin. The epidermis, or the top layer of the skin, has three kinds of cells: basal cells, squamous cells, and melanocytes (An Introduction to Skin Cancer, 1). The melanocytes produce melanin, which is a pigment...
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