Early intervention is very important for recovery. This is relevant for all diseases and skin cancer is not an exception. This means that the earlier you detect a disease the better chances you will have.
There are 5 skin cancer stages: 0 to 5. There is 100% chance of survival if you detect skin cancer in early stages. In stage 3 the chances of recovery falls to 60%. When cancer reaches stage 4, only 16 % is left. In other words skin cancer becomes 84% fatal in this stage.
Skin cancer develops on the skin outer layer (epidermis), this means it can be seen. Generally it occurs on the skin that is exposed to the sun. However it is not necessary that other skin areas are not possible to develop cancer cells.
The cancer cells remain confined within the skin and have not yet spread to other ligaments, organs and bones in early stages. That is why the fatality risk is low in these stages.
Carcinoma in situ which is stage 0 is characterized by abnormal cells about the size of a pea that are shown on the skin. The abnormal cells are not yet cancerous, however they will spread to the neighbouring tissues and then develop into cancer.
It is on 1 stage when cancer progresses. A tumor about two centimeters becomes visible. Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer when the tumor gets 2 millimeters thick. When the tumor or lesion grows bigger than 2 centimeters in diameter and the cancer remains still within the skin that means, that cancer reaches stage 2. The abnormal cells are invading other tissues in this stage.
The only possible treatment in this case is surgery. Everyone should examine themselves on a regular basis for any strange moles, spots, patches, lesions, as well as sores and wounds that don’t heal for a long time. Be cautious with any kind of skin changes. If you suspect something is wrong, contact your doctor immediately.
The cells of skin cancer multiply very rapidly. They affect the nearby tissues, capillaries and veins, lymph vessels and then the abnormal cells invade various body organs in later stages. That is why early intervention is of crucial importance in stopping the cancer from spreading further into the body. Act immediately!