Symptoms of skin cancer, the disease from which Patricia Rite died at the age of 30

2023-04-17 11:36:17

Patricia Rite, known for her passage in 2015 for Women and men and vice versa, has died in Huelva at the age of 30 this Sunday afternoon due to a skin cancer.

The disease, which was diagnosed four years ago, had progressed in recent months, as she had made visible on social networks, where she announced a few weeks ago that she had had a relapse.

What is skin cancer?

skin cancer is one of the most common types, and its incidence increases each year as we expose ourselves more to the sun and different artificial tanning techniques become popular. Therefore, it is important to know the disease, its symptoms, how to prevent it and what to do if we suspect that we have it.

Like all cancers, it is an uncontrolled process of cell division (which, in this case, occurs in skin cells) and to the point where cancer cells outnumber normal cells. This mass of abnormal growth It has no biological purpose, consumes host resources and is practically autonomous.

In addition, cancer, which in most cases begins locally, can spread to other parts of the body, reaching a point where treatment is very difficult.

Although the mechanisms that lead to this uncontrolled growth are not entirely clear, it is known that they are due to the accumulation of mutations in cells, which in turn can be caused by external factors such as, in the case of skin cancer, exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

What types of skin cancer exist?

There are many types of skin cancer, although the three most common are:

• Basal cell carcinoma: It is the most common type. It originates from the basal cells, small round cells located in the lowest part of the epidermis, in turn the outermost layer of the skin.
• squamous cell carcinoma: Also relatively common, it begins in squamous cells, which are found on the surface of the skin.
• Melanoma: It is the least common of the three, but also the most aggressive. It appears in the cells responsible for producing skin pigmentation, the melanocytes.

What are your symptoms?

The symptomatology of skin cancer depends entirely on its type, but it is common that it is limited to the appearance of small skin abnormalities and does not cause real discomfort until it reaches relatively advanced stages of development. At this time, patients may feel pain, stinging, or even experience bleeding from the lesion.

However, and taking into account that frequently these anomalies are visible or palpableIt is important to be alert and see a specialist if any are found, since early detection greatly improves the prognosis in any of the types. These abnormalities may take the form of changes in existing moles, appearance of moles or skin spots, bumps, scaling, sores, warts, or small wounds.

How is it treated?

For basal or squamous cell cancers, most often treatment consists solely of small local surgery to remove the cancerous mass and, if appropriate, reconstructive surgery to close the lesion. In contrast, melanoma and other less common types can require other types of strategies such as cancer immunotherapy, targeted therapy drugs, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of these.

Can it be prevented?

Although everyone is susceptible to skin cancer, there are certain measures that a priori can reduce risk of suffering from this disease. Broadly speaking, limiting exposure to sunlight, using sunscreen, and refraining from artificial tanning methods (such as UV booths) are thought to minimize the chances of it appearing.