Skin Cancers include Melanomas (most common form) Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and Basal cell Carcinomas (BCC) .
(Kaposi's Sarcomas are also included, however it would be associated with an HIV patient ).
what I want to highlight is when to consider Metastasis , Melanomas usually carry poor prognosis because they are highly metastasizing carcinomas, unlike SCC or BCC which rarely metastasize.
and when you consider distant metastasis, the single most important prognostic factor would be the DEPTH of Invasion of the lesion, though the size of the tumor could give you a rough estimate about the depth of the lesion, with 1 cm size melanomas are generally less than 1 mm in depth , a 5 cm melanomas are generally considered to carry no further need for intervention and an extremely poor prognosis !
Melanomas are irregularly size mole in sun exposed areas that I believe require a high index of suspicion and a good history taking for diagnosis.
Squamous cell carcinomas are usually solitary and Ulcerative lesions , may occur secondary to Actinic Keratosis and would commonly present as a Non-healing ulcer
Basal cell Carcinomas are highly characteristic with their shiny or pearly appearance .
both of them rarely metastasize
Management would be simple Excision and Biopsy.
http://www.dermis.net/dermisroot/en/19032/image.htm
A PIC. of an Ulcerative Basal Cell carcinoma
I really like this Picture because it may trick you with its ulcerative central part to say it would be a SCC , however if you noticed the "shiny/pearly" look of the margins it would make you realize the possibility it would be a BCC condition, and this would also be a great example to highlight the importance of Excisional/Punch Biopsy in ACCURATE diagnosis of these conditions
(Kaposi's Sarcomas are also included, however it would be associated with an HIV patient ).
what I want to highlight is when to consider Metastasis , Melanomas usually carry poor prognosis because they are highly metastasizing carcinomas, unlike SCC or BCC which rarely metastasize.
and when you consider distant metastasis, the single most important prognostic factor would be the DEPTH of Invasion of the lesion, though the size of the tumor could give you a rough estimate about the depth of the lesion, with 1 cm size melanomas are generally less than 1 mm in depth , a 5 cm melanomas are generally considered to carry no further need for intervention and an extremely poor prognosis !
Melanomas are irregularly size mole in sun exposed areas that I believe require a high index of suspicion and a good history taking for diagnosis.
Squamous cell carcinomas are usually solitary and Ulcerative lesions , may occur secondary to Actinic Keratosis and would commonly present as a Non-healing ulcer
Basal cell Carcinomas are highly characteristic with their shiny or pearly appearance .
both of them rarely metastasize
Management would be simple Excision and Biopsy.
A PIC. of an Ulcerative Basal Cell carcinoma
I really like this Picture because it may trick you with its ulcerative central part to say it would be a SCC , however if you noticed the "shiny/pearly" look of the margins it would make you realize the possibility it would be a BCC condition, and this would also be a great example to highlight the importance of Excisional/Punch Biopsy in ACCURATE diagnosis of these conditions
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