Cancer

What is cancer?
• Cancer is an abnormal growth of cells. There are
actually more than one hundred known types of
cancer that can happen in the human body. Cancer
can manifest as a tumor, but not all cancers cause
tumors and not all tumors are even cancerous;
some are benign. With cancerous cell growth also
comes the possibility that the growth will spread to
other organs or systems in the body. This is called
metastasis. In this section you can explore many of
the most common forms of cancer that make
people sick.
Most common form of Cancer
• Basal Cell Carcinoma • Melanoma
• Bladder Cancer • Prostate Cancer
• Breast Cancer • Squamous Cell
• Colon Cancer Carcinoma (SCC)
• Liver Cancer • Stomach Cancer
• Lung Cancer
• Lymphoma
Basal Cell Carcinoma
 What is Basal Cell Carcinoma?
• Basal cell carcinoma is a type of skin
cancer that occurs in the basal cells of
the epidermis - the outermost layer of
the skin. Basal cells constantly divide to
replace dead or damaged skin cells
closer to the outer surface of the
epidermis. However, these cells can
become cancerous when exposed to
ultraviolet (UV) radiation or other
factors, triggering them to proliferate
uncontrollably. Basal cell carcinoma is
the most common type of cancer with
nearly 2.8 million Americans affected
every year.
•
• Basal cell carcinoma is usually found
on the head and neck, but can be
found anywhere on the body,
including the limbs. Unlike more
aggressive cancers, basal cell
carcinoma rarely spreads, or
metastasizes, to other sites within
the body. Timely treatment and
removal are key interventions to
avoiding deformity of the affected
area, and spread into deeper tissues.
This cancer is fully treatable if
detected early, but the chance of
reoccurrence in the same area or
other areas of the body is high.
Causes and Risk Factors
• Like all cancers, basal cell carcinoma is a result of
errors, or mutations, in the DNA of affected cells.
While some mutations are harmless, others dismantle
the cellular pathways that control cell proliferation. In
the absence of tight controls, cells overgrow to form
tumors. The main cause of DNA damage in basal cell
carcinoma is prolonged exposure to UV light from the
sun. UV radiation is also believed to block DNA repair
proteins, further allowing the proliferation of mutant
cells. The following risk factors are associated with
basal cell carcinoma:
• UV Radiation. Of the three types of UV
radiation (A, B, and C), UVB radiation is linked
to skin cancers. Chronic exposure to UV
radiation from the sun or tanning beds,
especially before the age of 18, increases the
chance of developing basal cell carcinoma.
Living in the sunny regions of the globe is also
associated with a higher risk.
• •
• Other radiation. Exposure to X-rays (used to
treat some skin conditions) can cause basal cell
carcinoma.
•
• Gene mutation. Mutations in the genes of
specific proteins are linked to basal cell
carcinoma. These include mutations in the
tumor suppressor proteins p53 (TP53) and
patched homologue 1 (PTCH1); sonic hedgehog
(SHH); and smoothened (SMO).
• Skin color. Light-skinned individuals absorb a
greater amount of the damaging UV rays from the
sun and, therefore, carry a greater risk for skin
cancers.
• Age and gender. Basal cell carcinoma is common in
individuals over the age of 50, and more so in men.
•
Immune suppressive therapy. Basal cell carcinoma
can form in patients on immuno-suppressant drugs
following an organ transplant, or due to other
medical conditions.
•
• Personal and family history. Once an individual has
been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, they
have much greater chance of developing it a
second time. A family history of the cancer is also
associated with higher risk.
•
• Inherited syndromes. Nevoid basal cell carcinoma
syndrome (Gorlin-Goltz syndrome) and xeroderma
pigmentosum are rare inherited diseases that
increase susceptibility to basal cell carcinoma.
•