The Importance of Early Detection of Skin Cancer

Norman Brooks, MD, is a California physician who practices at The Skin Cancer Medical Center and provides treatments that avoid unwanted scars. Among Dr. Norman Brooks’ areas of focus is the application of zinc chloride, which works to decrease tissue damage at surgical sites. He also engages with patients in helping them identify occurrences of skin cancer from the earliest possible moment.

Early detection is critical, with the five-year survival rate for melanoma, which is the most deadly form of skin cancer, 98 percent when it detected at the outset. This rate is only 62 percent in cases where the disease has reached the lymph nodes and is less than 20 percent when it metastasizes within organs distant from the origin site. While basal cell and squamous carcinomas are more common and have even higher cure rates, they can cause disfigurement and, in rare cases, death, when left untreated.

Identifying early signs of skin tumors begins with regular examinations in tandem with a dermatologist, as well as self-exams. Warning signs of the disease to watch for include recent and changing moles, as well as skin growths that scab or bleed and don’t heal normally within a month or so. The bottom line is that if a growth does no appear normal, it is worth checking out with an experienced professional.