Risk factors for skin cancer

In recent years, skin cancer has gradually risen again, and skin cancer screening has been elevated to a position that needs to be taken seriously. Humans are afraid of death, but when it is really irreversible, they are powerless. There are countless people who have died from cancer, and skin cancer is one of the killers. People who are usually very careful and cautious will find symptoms in the early stage, but some people do not have any symptoms in the early stage, so it is best to check regularly. Clinically, it is found that most skin cancer patients have reached the middle and late stages when they show obvious symptoms. Here, we remind the majority of friends who are related to skin cancer to pay attention.

(1) Chemical carcinogens

About 100 years after Percivall first described the prevalence of scrotal skin cancer in chimney sweeps, it was discovered that workers regularly exposed to arsenic, tar, and asphalt were susceptible to skin cancer.

(2) Ultraviolet radiation

In 1928, Findlay first used ultraviolet light generated by mercury lamps to irradiate mice to induce skin cancer. Skin cancer is common in farmers, fishermen and field workers, and is prone to occur in exposed parts such as the head, face and back of the hands that are easily exposed to sunlight, proving that the occurrence of skin cancer is closely related to ultraviolet radiation. In addition, epidemiologists have found that the incidence of skin cancer among white people living in equatorial areas is much higher than that of white people living far from the equator, and proposed that the incidence of skin cancer is inversely proportional to the latitude, and also explained the carcinogenic effect of ultraviolet rays: the lower the latitude, the closer to the equator, the greater the exposure to ultraviolet rays, and the higher the incidence of skin cancer; conversely, the higher the latitude, the farther away from the equator, the less exposure to ultraviolet rays, and the lower the incidence of skin cancer.

(3) Ionizing radiation

In the past, skin cancer occurred on the basis of radiation-induced dry skin due to neglect of protective measures in long-term radiation work. In recent years, due to the improvement of radiation equipment and radiation technology, especially the strengthening of various protective measures, occupational skin cancer has basically disappeared. However, in some patients who have received radiotherapy, cases of skin cancer in the radiation field can still be encountered after several years. Ionizing radiation is still a causative factor of skin cancer.

(4) Precancerous lesions

Certain skin diseases such as actinic keratosis and xeroderma pigmentosum are prone to skin cancer. Burn scars and chronic ulcers, fistulas, and sinus tracts that do not heal for a long time are prone to malignant transformation into skin cancer under the repeated stimulation of chronic inflammation.

The simplest way to avoid skin cancer is to reduce exposure to cancer-causing ultraviolet rays. There are three basic ways to reduce the damage of ultraviolet rays to the skin. You should consider using one or more of these: (a) reduce the time spent in the sun; (b) use clothing and hats to protect your skin when you go out; (c) if you must stay in the sun and cannot use clothing to protect your skin, or if you do not want to cover your skin with clothing because you want to get a tan, you should apply sunscreen. Sunscreens come in creams, oils, and other formulations. They contain certain chemical ingredients that can prevent the most harmful rays of sunlight from damaging the skin.

When the above symptoms occur, the patient should go to a regular hospital for treatment. Early detection and early treatment can effectively cure skin cancer. People who are related to the pathogenic factors of skin cancer are advised to take preventive measures for skin cancer.