Skin Cancer in Nevada

Comprehensive is extremely proactive on the topic of skin cancer in Nevada.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. In fact, it is estimated by the American Cancer Society that more than 200,000 cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year.

There are three major types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. Both basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma are highly treatable. Malignant melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer and more likely to spread to other parts of the body.

Skin Cancer Risk Factors

There are several factors which may increase a person’s risk of getting skin cancer, including:

Sunlight (UV Radiation) – too much exposure to UV radiation, either from the sun or tanning lamps increases a person’s risk for melanoma.

  • Fair skin – people with fair skin, freckling or red or blond hair have a higher risk of melanoma.
  • Moles – certain types of moles increase a person’s chance of getting melanoma.
  • Age – chances of being diagnosed with skin cancer increase as a person gets older, but skin cancer is also found in young people.
  • Family history – around 10 percent of people with melanoma have a close relative with the disease. This may be because the family tends to spend more time in the sun or because family members have fair skin, or both.
  • Immune suppression – people who have been treated with medicines that suppress the immune system have an increased chance of developing melanoma.
  • History of melanoma – people who have already had melanoma have a higher risk of getting it again.
  • Gender – men have a higher risk than women.
  • Xeroderma pigmentation – people with this rare, inherited condition are at a greater risk of getting melanoma.

Skin Cancer Signs and Symptoms

Men and women should know the pattern of moles, freckles and other marks and check their skin about once a month. They should consult their healthcare provider if they have a mole or growth that worries them or has changed in size, shape or color. The ABCD rule can help distinguish a normal mole from melanoma:

  • Asymmetry – one half of the mole does not match the other half.
  • Border irregularity – the edges of the mole are raged or notched.
  • Color – the color of the mole is not the same all over. There may be shades of tan, brown or black and sometimes patches of red, white or blue.
  • Diameter – the mole is wider that about ¼ inch.
  • Evolution – Change over time.

Skin Cancer Diagnosis

If cancer is suspected, a physician will perform further tests, which may include a skin biopsy. Types of skin biopsies include:

  • Incisional and excisional biopsy that removes a wedge of the skin to look at the deepest layers. An incisional biopsy removed only part of the tumor. An excisional biopsy removes the entire tumor.
  • Shave biopsy in which the doctor “shaves” off the top layers of skin.
  • Punch biopsy in which the doctor uses a round tool to cut through all the layers of the skin and bring up a sample of tissue.

Tests also may be needed to determine if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. These might include:

  • X-ray of the chest to see if the cancer has spread to the lungs
  • CT scan to see if the cancer has spread to other organs
  • MRI to see if the cancer has spread to the brain or spinal cord
  • PET scan to see if the cancer has spread elsewhere
  • Nuclear bone scans to see if the cancer has spread to the bones
  • Fine needle aspiration biopsy in which the physician uses a thin needle to remove very small samples of tissue from organs or lymph nodes
  • Surgical lymph node biopsy to remove an abnormally large lymph node through a small incision
  • Sentinel lymph node biopsy, the surgeon injects a radioactive substance into the area of the melanoma, then checks the lymph nodes for radioactivity to find which one is the first to drain fluid from the skin near the melanoma. Then the lesion is injected with a blue dye that will travel to the node that the cancer would first drain into. When this first node, called the sentinel node, had been identified, it will be removed and looked at under a microscope. If cancer cells are found in this lymph node, the rest of the lymph nodes in the area are removed.

Skin Cancer in Nevada Treatment

Treatment options are different for different types and stages of skin cancer, but may include surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Each treatment option may be used alone or in combination.

  • Surgery – removal of the melanoma, amputation of a finger or toe, or removal of lymph nodes are common types of surgery for melanoma. Non-melanoma is most commonly treated with surgery, ranging from simple excisions to laser surgery, to lymph node surgery.
  • Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells in the treated area. It is usually administered from a machine outside the body. It may also be used after surgery to kill cancer cells that may remain after surgery.
  • Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Topical chemotherapy is an anticancer medicine that is placed directly onto the skin. Systemic chemotherapy uses drugs taken by mouth or injected into a vein. This treatment can be used when the cancer has spread to other organs.
  • Immunotherapy – There are several FDA-approved immunotherapy options for melanoma.

To find a complete list of options and services at Comprehensive to treat skin cancer in Nevada, please visit the Medical Services section of our website and click here to learn more about our award-winning physicians.

Protect your fun in the sun!

Comprehensive Cancer Centers has expanded its skin safety awareness footprint—adding new partnerships throughout the Las Vegas Valley to provide complimentary SPF 30 sunscreen and tips for locals to keep in mind when out in the sun.

Comprehensive has partnerships with American Cancer Society, Clark County Parks and Recreation (more than 50 locations throughout Southern Nevada), City of Las Vegas, Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada, Springs Preserve, Downtown Summerlin, Cowabunga Bay, Cadence master planned community, Las Vegas Aviators, PENTA Building Group, UNLV, Vegas Golden Knights and Las Vegas Lights.

Our sunscreen partnerships aim to preserve the health and well being of the Las Vegas community by using a proactive approach to preventing unnecessary skin conditions.

“We began this proactive outreach to Southern Nevadans five years ago with simple awareness messaging and free sunscreen for guests at Wet’n’Wild Las Vegas,” said Comprehensive’s executive director, Jon Bilstein. “It’s important for us to continue our efforts to educate and help protect local residents in an engaging and interactive manner and it’s pretty inspiring to see the campaign thrive year after year with new partnerships.”

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This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.