Skin Cancer

If you have had skin cancer or pre-cancerous lesions, then protecting yourself from ultraviolet radiation (from the sun and artificial sources like tanning booths) is of paramount importance. Seeking shade or using protective clothing is the best way to protect oneself, but sunscreen is important too. Some people use clothing and/or sunscreen regularly but fail to cover all of their exposed parts. Be sure you are covering all exposed skin. A common misconception is that tanning is ok as long as you don’t burn. This is not true. Tanning is harmful to your skin too. Also be sure to have your skin checked by a dermatologist regularly so that any abnormalities or changes can be tracked. Early detection is key in melanoma. In addition to taking the best possible care of your skin, maintaining a healthy diet and getting plenty of physical activity are great ways to help prevent cancer. A diet low in red meats and high in whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and nuts is best. In terms of physical activity, work your way up to 30-60 minutes per day on most days of the week. Although it may seem like a lot, make it a long-term goal and just steadily increase your time in small increments over time. A healthy lifestyle is the best medicine. If you have had skin cancer or pre-cancerous lesions, then protecting yourself from ultraviolet radiation (from the sun and artificial sources like tanning booths) is of paramount importance. Seeking shade or using protective clothing is the best way to protect oneself, but sunscreen is important too. Some people use clothing and/or sunscreen regularly but fail to cover all of their exposed parts. Be sure you are covering all exposed skin. A common misconception is that tanning is ok as long as you don’t burn. This is not true. Tanning is harmful to your skin too. Also be sure to have your skin checked by a dermatologist regularly so that any abnormalities or changes can be tracked. Early detection is key in melanoma. In addition to taking the best possible care of your skin, maintaining a healthy diet and getting plenty of physical activity are great ways to help prevent cancer. A diet low in red meats and high in whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and nuts is best. In terms of physical activity, work your way up to 30-60 minutes per day on most days of the week. Although it may seem like a lot, make it a long-term goal and just steadily increase your time in small increments over time. A healthy lifestyle is the best medicine.

Large 'birthmarks' or 'congenital nevomelanocytic nevus' (CNN), known commonly as the congenital hairy nevus, denotes a pigmented skin lesion present at birth and are a risk factor for developing a melanoma. Based on diameter, CNN are characterized as small (< 1.5 cm), medium (1.5-19.5 cm), and large or giant (>20 cm in adolescents and adults or predicted to reach 20 cm by adulthood). For small CNN, risk rates have been reported between 0.8% and 4.9% up to ~50% for giant CNN. A study of the Dutch nationwide pathology database reported an incidence rate of 12.2% of developing melanoma in patients with any sized CNN. Malignancy should be suspected with focal growth, pain, bleeding, ulceration, significant pigmentary change, or pruritus. Large 'birthmarks' or 'congenital nevomelanocytic nevus' (CNN), known commonly as the congenital hairy nevus, denotes a pigmented skin lesion present at birth and are a risk factor for developing a melanoma. Based on diameter, CNN are characterized as small (< 1.5 cm), medium (1.5-19.5 cm), and large or giant (>20 cm in adolescents and adults or predicted to reach 20 cm by adulthood). For small CNN, risk rates have been reported between 0.8% and 4.9% up to ~50% for giant CNN. A study of the Dutch nationwide pathology database reported an incidence rate of 12.2% of developing melanoma in patients with any sized CNN. Malignancy should be suspected with focal growth, pain, bleeding, ulceration, significant pigmentary change, or pruritus.

It really depends on what you mean by "skin cancer". If you have a basal cell, "freezing" will get rid of them w/o surgery and can be done in the doctor's office. I have had many basal cells removed that way. If you have squamous cells, that needs surgery to remove, Mohs Surgery, and is usually done in a treatment room in the doc's office or hospital as an out-patient procedure. Now if you have been diagnosed with Melanoma, I think there is no option but surgery to get rid of it! Well you mentioned other than surgically removed. But do you consider freezing them off as a surgery? Well, I guess it is surgery. But cryosurgery may be a less invasive option.
Guess I didn't really answer your question.
Sorry.
Bruce

The most common secondary skin after radiation treatment to the breast is an angiosarcoma. This occurs in approximately in 0.2% of patient following treatment. The most common secondary skin after radiation treatment to the breast is an angiosarcoma. This occurs in approximately in 0.2% of patient following treatment.