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Skin Cancer: Most Popular Articles

These articles are the most popular over the last month.
Basal Cell Carcinoma Pictures
A collection of pictures (images, photographs, JPG) of basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer.
Moles and Skin Cancer
These photographs will help you tell the difference between normal moles and melanoma skin cancer.
Symptoms of Skin Cancer
An easy-to-understand and concise guide to the signs and symptoms of skin cancer.
Squamous Cell Cancer Pictures
A collection of photographs (images, pictures, JPG) of squamous cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer.
Melanoma Pictures
A collection of pictures (photographs, images, JPG) of the skin cancer melanoma.
Non-Cancerous Lesions
A picture (image, photograph, JPG) of actinic keratosis on a person's arms.
Efudex Cream
If your doctor has prescribed Efudex, Carac (5-fluorouracil) for your basal cell carcinoma or actinic keratosis, this introduction will arm you with the information you need to use it effectively and safely.
Clark and Breslow Numbers
Your doctor says that your melanoma is stage IIA (T2bN0M0), Clark level III and Breslow depth 2 mm. You wonder what foreign language she's speaking! Indeed, melanoma jargon can be confusing and exasperating. To help you understand why a particular treatment was chosen for you, here is a brief explanation of what these terms mean.
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Learn more about basal cell carcinoma, a common type of skin cancer, in this easy-to-understand overview.
The Stages of Melanoma
Staging is based on the size of a melanoma tumor and where and how far it has spread. It is critical for planning treatment. Learn more in this comprehensive overview.
Treating Skin Cancers
An easy-to-understand introduction to the most common treatment options for non-melanoma skin cancers such as basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma.
Skin Cancer Diagnosis
An easy-to-understand introduction to the methods of diagnosing skin cancer.
Melanoma
Melanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer. Learn more about melanoma in this overview, including subtypes, growth pattern, diagnosis, and treatments.
LDH Test for Melanoma
Did your doctor order an LDH test? This guide will explain what the test measures, what the results mean, and its effectiveness in detecting metastasis in melanoma skin cancer.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common type of skin cancer. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with SCC, this overview will help you better understand the disease and make more informed treatment choices.
Treating Early-Stage Melanoma
Learn more about common treatment options for stage 0, I or II melanomas localized to the skin or to local lymph nodes.
Melanoma Metastases
With surgery, melanoma confined to the skin is curable in the vast majority of cases. Unfortunately, if the lesion recurs (returns), gets thicker or spreads from the skin to the lymph nodes or distant organs, it becomes much more dangerous. This occurs in stage III and IV melanoma and is called "metastasis."
What is Skin Cancer?
What is skin cancer? This introductory article provides an easy-to-follow answer for patients, including the different types of skin cancer and their causes, symptoms and treatments.
Imiquimod
If your doctor has prescribed imiquimod (Aldara) for basal cell carcinoma or actinic keratosis, this introduction will arm you with all the information you need to effectively treat your cancer.
Skin Self-Exams
Answers to five commonly asked questions about performing a skin self-exam to detect skin cancer in its early, treatable stages.
Less Common Treatments
Learn about less commonly used treatments for basal and squamous cell skin cancers such as radiation, photodynamic therapy, cryosurgery, and laser ablation therapy.
Skin Cancer Biopsy
If the lesion on your skin appears potentially cancerous, your doctor will take a sample from the suspicious area for examination under a microscope. This is called a biopsy. Learn more about the various types of skin biopsies in this overview.
CT, MRI and PET Scans
An introduction to CT, MRI and PET scans for patients newly diagnosed with melanoma.
Treatment of Skin Cancer
An overview of the available treatments for the various types of skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
Interferon-alfa2b
Learn more about interferon-alfa2b, the only approved drug for the adjuvant (post-surgery) treatment of patients with high-risk melanoma in danger of recurring (coming back).
Interleukin-2
If your doctor has recommended interleukin-2 to treat your stage IV melanoma, this overview will arm you with the critical information you need to understand how it works, its effectiveness and its side effects.
Treatment of Advanced Melanoma
Learn more about common metastatic melanoma treatment options for patients with stage III or IV disease.
What is Actinic Keratosis?
What is actinic keratosis?
Mitotic Rate
The mitotic rate is a measurement of how fast tumor cells are dividing in patients with melanoma. Learn more about how it is used in diagnosis and how it can predict survival.
Diclofenac
If your doctor has prescribed diclofenac (Solaraze) for your actinic (or solar) keratosis, this introduction will arm you with all the information you need to use it effectively and safely.
What is a spitz nevus?
What is a spitz nevus?
Skin Cancer Risk Factors
People of any age, race, or skin color can develop nonmelanoma skin cancers such as basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma. However, the likelihood of developing these diseases increases when you have one or more of these risk factors.
Sun Safety 101
How much sun is too much? Who is most at risk? What are the most effective ways to protect yourself? Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about sun safety.
Melanoma Trials
Learn more about the five most promising new drugs in phase III clinical trials for the treatment of advanced and metastatic (stage III and IV) melanoma.
Rare Skin Cancers
Basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma may get all the attention, but there are other types of skin cancer that are much more rare: cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, sebaceous gland carcinoma, and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.
What are keratinocytes?
What are keratinocytes?
Preventing Skin Cancer
A short, simple introduction to preventing skin cancer.
Lymph Node
What is a lymph node?
Symptoms of Basal Cell Cancer
What are the symptoms of basal cell carcinoma? Part of a series of answers to frequently asked questions about basal cell skin cancer, the most common type of skin cancer. Also includes basal cell skin cancer pictures.
Interferon Side Effects
Tips for coping with the side effects of interferon-alfa2b for patients with melanoma skin cancer.
Melanoma Risk Factors
Researchers have found several risk factors that alone or in combination may make you more likely to develop melanoma skin cancer.
Sunburn
Quick tips for treating red, itchy, peeling sunburned skin.
Squamous Cell Skin Cancer
What is squamous cell skin cancer? Part of a series of answers to frequently asked questions about one of the most common types of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma.
What is a clinical trial?
What is a clinical trial?
Skin Cancer and Minorities
People of all races and skin colors can get skin cancer. If that fact surprises you, you're not alone.
What is a nevus?
What is a nevus?
Melanoma Chemotherapy
A patient's guide to the various chemotherapy drugs used to treat metastatic melanoma skin cancer.
Dacarbazine
Chemotherapy with dacarbazine is currently the only FDA-approved chemotherapy drug for metastatic melanoma. Learn more about its use and side effects in this overview.
Avoid Tanning Salons
Research shows that using tanning salons increases your risk of squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. This article describes the details of the link and refutes the claims of the tanning industry.
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
What is a sentinel lymph node biopsy?
Basal Cell Cancer Treatments
How is basal cell cancer treated? Part of a series of answers to frequently asked questions about the most common type of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma.
What is Chemotherapy?
What is chemotherapy?
Rare Risks for Skin Cancer
Besides ultraviolet light, a variety of diseases, skin conditions, chemicals, and medicines can increase your risk of developing skin cancer.
Temozolomide
Temozolomide is used in patients with melanoma that has metastasized (spread) to the brain or nervous system. Learn more about its use, efficacy, and side effects in this overview.
What is a Margin?
What is a margin?
Squamous Cell Treatment
How is squamous cell skin cancer treated? Part of a series of answers to frequently asked questions about one of the most common types of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma.
Smoking and Skin Cancer
Did you know that tobacco use can triple your risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma? This article explains the link.
Sunscreen
Sunscreen is an easy way to reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. This article corrects the many myths that exist about the use and effectiveness of sunscreen.
What is Ipilimumab?
What is ipilimumab?
Melanoma in the Young
Contrary to popular belief, melanoma skin cancer afflicts people of all ages. We turned to an expert, Robert A. Weiss, MD, to provide some perspective on the impact of melanoma on young people -- and what they can do about it.
Macule
What is a macule?
What is the Immune System?
What is the immune system? A definition for laypeople, from a skin cancer perspective.
Squamous Cell: Diagnosis
What is squamous cell skin cancer? How is it diagnosed? Part of a series of answers to frequently asked questions about one of the most common types of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you've been diagnosed with skin cancer, you need to ask your healthcare provider these questions about their treatment decisions. An informed patient is an empowered patient!
Melanoma Cancer Genetics
A number of genetic factors are being investigated for their role in melanoma skin cancer, including inherited genes as well genetic defects that are acquired from excessive sun exposure.
Symptoms- -Squamous Skin Cancer
What are the symptoms of squamous cell skin cancer? Part of a series of answers to frequently asked questions about one of the most common types of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma.
What is a Dermatologist?
What is a dermatologist?
Adjuvant Interferon
Is interferon-alpha2b for treating melanoma after surgery right for you? Here are some of the pros and cons of interferon treatment to discuss with your doctor:
Erythema Solare
What is erythema solare?
Adjuvant Treatment
What is adjuvant treatment?
Apoptosis
What is apoptosis?
What is a GM-CSF?
What is a granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor?
Causes- -Squamous Skin Cancer
What causes squamous cell skin cancer? Part of a series of answers to frequently asked questions about one of the most common types of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma.
What is Basal Cell Skin Cancer
What is basal cell skin cancer? Part of a series of answers to frequently asked questions about the most common type of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma.
Skin Cancer - Articles
An index of articles for the Skin Cancer guide site.

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