Skin Cancer Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

(Canadian #s) skin cancer accounts for about ____ of cancer diagnosis

A

1/3

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2
Q

what are the 3 common types of skin cancer

A
  • Basal cell carcinoma (highest prevalence)
  • squamous cell carcinoma
  • malignant melanoma (lowest prevalence and the worst)
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3
Q

skin cancer can be _______ & starts with ______ lesion

A

skin cancer can be avoided & starts with precancerous lesion

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4
Q

what is the precancerous lesion called?

A

actinic keratosis

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5
Q

what is the etiology of skin cancer

A
  • excessive exposure to sun (UV ligh -UVA & UVB)
    - cumulative skin exposure
  • proportional directly to age (the older you get the more likely you are to get skin cancer)
  • inversely proportional (as one goes up one goes down): melanin (protective factor) decreases risk (more melanin less likely to get skin cancer)
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6
Q

skin cancer has a ____% cure rate if detected and treated early

A

95

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7
Q

Basal cell carcinoma

A
  • most common
  • begins in basal layer
  • common type in light skin
  • basal cell origin
  • slow progression
  • local invasion if left untreated, but rarely metastasizes
  • on exposed areas to sun: mostly head & neck
  • begins as nodular lesion
  • biopsy for Diagnosis
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8
Q

Malignant melanoma

A
  • arise in melanocytes (melanocytes produce melanin which is pigment)
  • increase risk in fair skin (more melanin means less skin cancer risk)
  • worst form: -progresses rapidly
    - mets (easily & early)
  • mostly exposed but also non exposed surfaces (major lesions changes (mnths)):
    - doubling in size (3-8 mnths)
    - colour
    - irregular border
    - pruritus
    - crusting
    - ulceration
  • mets to brian, bone, lung, liver (reason for fatality is because of metastasis) can be fatal, curable if caught early
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9
Q

squamous cell carcinoma

A
  • 2nd most common
  • origin in keratinocytes
  • on exposed areas: nose, forehead, lower lip
  • intraepidermal & invasive types
  • faster progression
  • variable appearance of lesion ex.nodule, papules, ulcerative lesions
  • mets: -to local lymph nodes & via blood
  • if treated early 95% cure rate, if left than metastasizes 75% mortality rate
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10
Q

basal cell carcinoma & squamous cell carcinoma collectively combined account for ____% of skin cancer

A

90

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11
Q

what kind of cells does basal cell carcinoma originate in?

A

-basal cell origin

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12
Q

what kind of cells does squamous cell carcinoma originate in?

A

-origin in keratinocytes

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13
Q

what kind of cells does malignant melanoma originate in?

A

-origin in melanocytes

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14
Q

what is the general rule for detecting skin cancer

A

any suspicious change to a lesion should be investigated, better to be told it is not a malignancy then it is a malignancy & dont know

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15
Q

treatment of skin

A
  • early detection
  • Sx excision (in all cases)
  • AND chemo if systemic (spread to secondary site)
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16
Q

ABCDE changes may indicate skin cancer

A

A- asymmetry (lesion no longer symmetrical)
B- border (border becomes irregular)
C- colour (changes in colour)
D- diameter (size, generally doubling in size in short time)
E- elevation (raised borders)