Causes and risk
factors of skin cancer
Ultraviolet
(UV) light from the sun is the main environmental cause of most skin cancers.
On this
page
• Sun exposure
• Sunbeds
• Previous skin cancer
• Previous radiotherapy treatment
• Lowered immunity
• Exposure to chemicals
• Genetic conditions
Sun exposure
UV light
damages the DNA (genetic material) in our skin cells and can cause skin cancer.
Overexposure
to the sun or sunburn in childhood are important risk factors in developing
basal cell cancers. It’s likely that skin damage from UV light during childhood
doesn’t show up until many years later.
Skin
cancer is more common than it used to be. This is because people are living
longer so their lifetime sun exposure is greater. Sun exposure over a lifetime
is more significant in developing squamous cell cancers.
People who
work outdoors for a living, such as farm workers, builders and gardeners, are
at an increased risk of developing skin cancer because they are often exposed
to the sun for long periods of time. This is relevant for both squamous cell
and basal cell cancers.
A
fair-skinned person who tends to go red or freckle in the sun will be most at
risk. Children and young adults who have been overexposed to the sun have an
increased risk of developing some form of skin cancer, especially if they have
fair skin. This will not show up until later on in life – usually after the age
of 40, and often not until the age of 60 or 70. Black- or brown-skinned people
have an extremely low risk of developing skin cancer because the pigment
melanin in their skin gives them protection.
Sunbeds
Regularly
using sunlamps and sunbeds can increase the risk of developing some skin
cancers. The more you use a sunbed or sunlamp, and the earlier in life you
begin using them, the greater your risk.
BootsWebMD is working with Macmillan to
provide access to even more high-quality information to people affected by
cancer. View a slideshow of images showing sun-damaged skin on BootsWebMD.com.
Previous skin
cancer
If you’ve
had a skin cancer before, you’re at risk of getting another one. This could be
either in the same place as before (a local recurrence) or somewhere else on
your body.
Previous
radiotherapy treatment
Previous
radiotherapy treatment for other conditions can sometimes cause skin cancer
(particularly basal cell carcinoma) in the treatment area, later in life.
Lowered
immunity
People who
take drugs that lower their immunity (immunosuppressants) – for example, after
a kidney transplant – are at an increased risk of skin cancer. Squamous cell
cancers are the most common, but basal cell cancers and melanomas are also more
common in these people than in the general population. However, the reason for
taking these drugs outweighs the potential risk of developing skin cancer.
If you’ve
had a transplant, it’s important that you see your doctor regularly to check
for early signs of skin cancer.
Exposure to
chemicals
Another
rare possible cause for non-melanoma skin cancer is overexposure to certain
chemicals at work. These include:
• arsenic
• asphalt
• coal tar
• creosotes
• cutting oils
• paraffin waxes
• petroleum derivatives
• pitch
• soot.
You should
wear protective clothing if you handle these substances at lot. Very small
amounts of these chemicals used in the home are unlikely to cause skin cancer,
but you should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using them.
Genetic
conditions
Most skin
cancers are not caused by an inherited faulty gene that can be passed on to
other family members. However, families are likely to have the same skin type,
which may increase their risk of developing a skin cancer.
People
with certain rare hereditary conditions, such as Gorlin syndrome or xeroderma
pigmentosum (XP), have a higher risk of developing skin cancer.
0 Response to "Causes and risk factors of skin cancer"
Posting Komentar