Skin Cancers
DO NOT MISS A SKIN CANCER
GET WORRYING SKIN GROWTHS CHECKED BY A TRAINED DERMATOLOGIST
Skin cancer is the 6th most common cancer in Singapore. Common skin cancers include the basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Most of these cancers can be cured. The most dangerous skin cancer is the malignant melanoma, as this has the potential of spreading to nearby tissues and other parts of the body. This is easier to cure if it is discovered early before any spread occurs.
Risk factors for skin cancer include:
- Excessive sun exposure, especially in fair skin that burns easily
- History of sunburn
- History of previous skin cancer
- Family history of skin cancer
- Multiple abnormal moles
- Conditions or medicines that suppress the immune system
- Exposure to arsenic
If you have any changing moles or new skin lesions you are concerned about, do seek an early opinion from your trained dermatologist. Regular skin checks every 6 months are particularly important for individuals with risk factors for skin cancer, or who already had skin cancer.
Your dermatologist will perform a complete visual examination of all of your skin using specialised magnifying devices. As a dermatologist, she has been specifically trained to diagnose skin cancer by looking at them and taking a biopsy (sample) from any suspicious lesion. The removed tissue from any suspicious growth will be sent for analysis by a specially trained skin histopathologist to check for the presence of any cancer cells. The type of skin cancer, the thickness of the cancer and other characteristics of the skin cancer will be reported in the analysis if a skin cancer is diagnosed. Other tests such as lymph node biopsy, blood tests and imaging may be required.
TREATMENT & CARE FOR SKIN CANCERS
- Precancerous lesions such as solar keratoses can be treated with creams or cryotherapy (freezing treatment).
- Skin cancers are usually treated with surgery to remove the entire cancer, with adequate wide margins. Other treatment options can be discussed if surgery is not feasible.
We strongly advise all high-risk patients to come for regular skin cancer screening to detect any potential changes of skin cancer early. Early detection is key to having any cancer successfully treated and cured.
EXPERIENCE
Dr Ho has spent many years practising Dermatology in London where she carried out numerous skin checks for skin cancer surveillance in Caucasians, and performed many surgeries for diagnostic and treatment purposes. As a Consultant Dermatological Surgeon at the National Skin Centre in Singapore, she has diagnosed and excised many skin cancers in the Asian population. She is well aware of how the same cancer (e.g. basal cell carcinoma) can look different in Caucasians and Asians, and easily missed by an untrained eye. Skin cancers can also be easily mistaken for normal moles or harmless age spots. The importance of sun protection, self-surveillance and full body skin checks by a trained dermatologist is key to early diagnosis and successful treatment.