Skin Cancer In the Elderly

By Mindy Sowell, Owner

Skin cancer begins in the cells that make up the outer layer of your skin. There are three types of skin cancer that typically impact older people

Melanoma

Basal cell skin cancer

Squamous cell skin cancer

Melanoma is more aggressive than basal cell skin cancer or squamous cell skin cancer.

Risk factors for melanoma include the following

Unusual moles

Exposure to natural sunlight

Exposure to artificial ultraviolet light (tanning booth)

Family or personal history of melanoma

Being white and older than 20 years

Red or blond hair

White or light-colored skin and freckles

Blue eyes

Melanoma Warning Signs

To be on the lookout for skin cancer, check moles twice a year. Here are some warning signs to look for

A change in the appearance, including the size, shape and color of a mole or pigmented area.

Moles with irregular edges or borders

More than one color in a mole

An asymmetrical mole (if the mole is divided in half, the 2 halves are different in size or shape)

Itches, oozes or bleeds

Ulcerated (a hole forms in the skin when the top layer of cells breaks down and the underlying tissue shows through).

Change in pigmented (colored) skin.

Satellite moles (new moles that grow near an existing mole).

There are many different tests that examine the skin used to detectand diagnose melanoma or other skin cancer in elderly people. If a mole or pigmented area of the skin changes or looks abnormal, a skin examination by a doctor or nurse, or a biopsy can help detect and diagnose melanoma and other skin cancers.

Chance of Recovering

From Skin Cancer

The prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options depend on the following

The stage of melanoma

Whether there was bleeding or ulceration at the primary site

The location and size of the tumor

The elderly patient's general health

Although many people are successfully treated, melanoma can recur. After melanoma has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the skin or to other parts of the body. The process used to find out whether cancer has spread within the skin or to other parts of the body is called staging. The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment.

Information obtained from agingcare.com and the National Cancer Institute