Skin Tumor

Skin tumor is a cell-proliferative disease arising in the skin and is common. Neoplasms arising in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue are of many types; clinically divided into benign and malignant. Malignant tumors proliferate continuously, metastasize and threaten life, and are called skin cancer. Skin tumors are benign or malignant. Generally, benign tumors have clear boundaries, regular edges, smooth surface and roughly symmetric shape; histologically the tumor-cell nuclei are uniform in size/shape and orderly arranged; though they may grow large, they are non-destructive and do not metastasize. By contrast, malignant tumors have ill-defined boundaries, irregular edges, surface ulceration and bleeding, and asymmetric mass; histologically tumor nuclei vary in size/shape and are irregularly arranged; tumors grow invasively and destructively and eventually metastasize.

Common Symptoms

Cystic plaque; generalized red plaque

Causes and Pathogenesis

Most causes are unclear. Congenital and acquired factors exist: e.g. moles (mainly pigmented nevi) are congenital. Skin cancer results from synergistic intrinsic/extrinsic factors causing abnormal reactive proliferation of tissue cells. Extrinsic factors: chemical carcinogens, ultraviolet light, ionizing radiation, viral infection. Intrinsic factors: heredity, immunodeficiency. UV exposure is a known major skin carcinogen: skin-cancer incidence is higher near the equator. White people have less melanin in the epidermis and poorer UV protection, so higher skin-cancer rate than darker-skinned peoples. Initial studies show UV first damages nuclear DNA; an intrinsic defect prevents DNA repair, leading to replication of mutated DNA; if immune surveillance fails to eliminate mutated cells, they proliferate as clones and eventually form tumors.

Treatment

Surgery, drug therapy, supportive care

Preventive Measures

1. Good lifestyle, quit smoking, limit alcohol. WHO predicts that if people stopped smoking, skin cancer worldwide would drop by 1/3 within 5 years; avoid heavy drinking. 2. Do not eat overly salty/spicy foods; avoid too hot/cold/expired/spoiled foods; the elderly/weak or those with disease-related genes may eat cancer-preventive/alkaline foods and stay mentally well. 3. Handle stress with good attitude, balance work/rest, avoid over-fatigue; stress is a key skin-cancer trigger. 4. Exercise, build fitness, exercise in sunlight, sweat to expel acidic wastes. 5. Regular lifestyle; irregular habits (overnight karaoke, mahjong, staying out all night) worsen acidic constitution and skin-cancer risk. 6. Do not eat polluted foods (water, crops, poultry/fish/eggs, moldy food); eat green organic food. 7. Avoid over-frequent bathing: studies link over-frequent bathing to skin cancer (dermatitis first, which then predisposes); experts suggest bathing ~3 days/week with gentle rubbing; some surface dirt is protective. 8. Avoid excessive artificial tanning; BMJ reports tanning-bed users have 20% higher skin-cancer risk.

Department to Visit

It is recommended to visit the Dermatology department; an appointment can be booked on this platform before the visit.

Warm reminder: The above information is for health science reference only and cannot replace professional medical diagnosis. If you have related symptoms, please seek medical attention at a regular hospital promptly.