skin tumors

The skin is the largest organ in our body and, not surprisingly, skin tumors are among the most common neoplasms, although it is necessary to distinguish them into different types. Here we distinguish between malignant skin tumors like melanoma (a pigmented malignancy requiring oncological treatment), and non-melanocytic tumors (so called clear tumors) such as Bcc( basal cell carcinoma) and SCC ( spinal cell carcinoma) , which are much more frequent than melanomas, but less dangerous because they rarely form metastases. The former affect men and women; the latter mainly men. They generally appear at an advanced age (60 years for basaliomas and 70 for spinaliomas) or in those who have been exposed to the sun without protection (mainly affecting the nose, forehead, lips, ears, back of the hand or bald head), especially if they have a light phototype(1-3 Fitzpatrick classification)  complexion and are therefore more sensitive to ultraviolet rays.

It is mainly on the face that these carcinomas occur. Skin changes should be examined as soon as possible, as early intervention increases the chances of recovery. Investigations are carried out by means of dermoscopy, which is a technique for magnifying the lesions that allows a higher probability of early diagnosis.
Subsequently, to obtain complete certainty, a tissue sample is taken under local anaesthesia and analysed under a microscope for histological examination.
As a follow-up, it is then necessary to investigate further with an ultrasound scan of the adjacent lymph nodes, a CT scan or an MRI to rule out advanced disease.

skin tumors treatment
Reconstructive dermatological surgery, which is performed in the operating theatre under local anaesthesia, makes it possible to treat these malignant skin pathologies with reconstructive plastic surgery techniques that allow, through the radical surgical removal of the tumor, to minimize scarring and achieve an aesthetically satisfactory result. Often techniques for repairing loss of substance after removal of the lesion such as skin flaps or skin inlays are associated.
Following surgery, a histological examination of the removed tissue is always performed.

Other therapeutic procedures for the treatment of some less severe lesions such as actinic keratosis or in compromised patients whose surgery would be contraindicated are:

curettage (superficial scraping of the tumour)
laser
pharmacotherapy (application of cream that generates inflammation and destroys cells)
radiotherapy (destruction of cells by irradiation)
cryotherapy (destruction by freezing)
electrosurgery (destruction by electrical impulses)

Healing times
Healing takes about 7-14 days. A scar generally remains from surgery, which can be minimized  with laser therapy treatment and the application of silicone creams. In the post-surgery period, it is the patient’s responsibility to undergo regular check-ups; avoid, first and foremost, excessive exposure to the sun’s rays or, in any case, use products with a high protection factor. These simple precautions are necessary in preventing cancer and maintaining the results of treatment.