Skin Cancer
There is two major forms of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma and melanoma.
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma is among the most common forms of
cancer, with more than a half million new cases reported
each year. Fortunately, it is a relatively benign disease with
a very high cure rate. It develops on skin that is exposed to
the ultraviolet (UV) light of the sun over a period of years.
It can also develop after exposure to arsenic. Basal cell
carcinoma is most common on the scalp, face, neck, hands,
and forearms. It is most prevalent in fair-skinned people.
Basal cell carcinoma appears as small patches of white,
hard skin, usually smaller in diameter than a pencil eraser.
These growths almost never break out of the protein
capsules that contain them, but may bleed and form scars. Left
unattended over a period of years, however, they can
eventually invade adjacent soft tissues or spread elsewhere.
Besides basal cell carcinoma, the other most common type
of skin cancer is squamous cell carcinoma. Both are highly
curable if treated early. However, recurrences are common,
and if they are not treated properly, they can spread and
damage the deeper layers of the skin and even the bone.
Unless the cancer has spread, conventional treatment
consists of surgery, usually done in a dermatologist's office.
If the cancer has spread, radiation therapy may be
recommended. Melanoma occurs less frequently than basal cell carcinoma but is
much more aggressive. Therefore, all suspicious growths should be brought to a
doctor's attention.
Supplements and herbs
- Aloe and
vitamin E.
Gel. Apply as directed on the label.
Cream. Apply as directed on the label.
Prevents production of chemicals needed for cancer growth.
Has produced remissions in some people.
- Astragalus capsules. Take as directed on the label.
Generates anticancer cells in the body and boosts the
immune system.
- Bloodroot salve. Apply as directed on the label.
Irritates skin, causing scar tissue to surround basal cell carcinoma.
What else you can do
- Use topical herbal treatments only while waiting for
your scheduled medical removal of the basal cell
carcinoma. Natural healing processes set in motion by herbs
may remove the cancer, but should not be relied on as the
sole treatment.
- Take 150 to 200 micrograms of selenium daily.
Selenium greatly lowers the risk that existing basal cell
carcinomas will spread to the colon, prostate, or lungs. Or eat
one or two Brazil nuts a day. Each nut contains
approximately 120 micrograms of selenium.
- Use sunscreen, but take 200 to 400 IU of vitamin D to
compensate for the use of sunscreen. Vitamin D helps the
body contain basal cell carcinoma, but sunscreens to
protect the skin also deprive the skin of the ultraviolet (UV)
rays needed to make this vitamin.
- Avoid tanning salons. The ultraviolet-A (UVA) rays
they utilize are as dangerous as the sun's rays. Do not be
misled by claims to the contrary.
- Examine your skin regularly. The Skin Care
Foundation recommends performing a full-body self-examination
every three months. To do this, you need a full-length
mirror, a handheld mirror, and ample lighting. Using the
mirrors, look for any changes in any moles or marks on
your body. If you find any irregularities, have them
evaluated by a dermatologist.
- Schisandra contains compounds that prevent skin
cancer development after chemical injury, and is especially
recommended for people exposed to arsenic compounds.
Take 100 milligrams three times daily of the freeze-dried
herb. Do not use this
herb if you have gallstones or bile-duct blockages.
- Turmeric contains curcumin, which prevents
development of skin cancer caused by UV light and also prevents
chemically induced skin cancers. Apply a turmeric
poultice three times daily to the affected area. This poultice can also be used as a natural
sunscreen to prevent UV damage.
- Actinic keratosis, a precancerous condition caused by
excessive exposure to sunlight, may be treated with a skin
ointment that contains 5-fluorouracil (Fluoroplex). A
coptis
compress, applied and removed before applying
Fluoroplex, increases the skin's ability to absorb this medication.
- Non-melanoma skin cancer increases the risk of
bladder cancer. If you have had basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma and you are exposed to cigarette
smoke and other bladder-cancer risk factors, speak with
your physician about testing for bladder cancer.
- To prevent skin cancer, avoid sun exposure, especially
between 10 A.M. and 3 P.M., when the sun's rays are the
most intense. Wear long sleeves and pants, a hat, and
sunglasses with UV protection. Use sunscreen on exposed
skin, choosing a sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor
(SPF) of at least 15. Apply sunscreen thirty minutes before
heading outside. Be sure to protect children's skin with
sunscreen, shade, or protective clothing.
- With early detection and treatment, most people
recover from skin cancer, but regular checkups are advised
for the next five years.
Melanoma
Melanoma is an increasingly common form of skin
cancer, particularly in the United States, Israel, and Australia.
Most people with melanoma are between the ages of forty
and sixty-five, and are fair-skinned. Men and women are
affected in equal numbers.
This form of cancer can lie latent for as long as fifty
years after the sunburn that usually triggers it. Scientists
believe that repeated exposure to sunlight itself weakens the
immune system's ability to search for and destroy melanoma
cells. Any other drain on the immune system, such as a long-term
infection or extensive burn, also can contribute to the
development of melanoma. Some forms of melanoma are
stimulated by the hormone insulin. Insulin production is
increased by stress and the consumption of
sugar or
saccharin. Other forms of melanoma are stimulated by the hormone
estrogen. In some cases, hereditary factors may be involved.
Melanoma can begin as a new growth. Often, though, it
appears as a change to an existing mole. Melanomas are
asymmetric, and have irregular borders, multiple colors,
and a diameter greater than that of a pencil eraser (6 mm).
A smaller, more circular skin lesion may be basal cell
carcinoma, a much more common and less aggressive form of
cance. All suspicious growths should
be brought to a doctor's attention.
There are four basic types of melanoma: superficial
spreading melanoma (SSM), acral lentiginous melanoma,
lentigo maligna melanoma, and nodular melanoma.
Melanoma is diagnosed by removing and examining the growth.
This disease is classified in stages, from I to IV, depending
on how thick the growth is and whether it has spread.
Melanoma can spread to almost anywhere in the body, but
usually spreads to the liver, lungs, bones, or brain.
Surgery, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy are all
used in melanoma treatment.
Herbal therapy always should be used as part of a
medically directed overall treatment plan for melanoma.
Supplements and herbs
- Aloe gel. Apply liberally on skin.
Contains antihistamines that stop production of a growth factor needed by melanoma.
- Astragalus capsules. Take 500-1,000 mg 3 times daily.
Increases effectiveness of IL -2, stimulates production of NK (natural killers) cells.
Do not use astragalus if you have a fever or a skin infection.
- Cat's claw tincture. Take as directed on the label in 1/2 cup
water with 1 tsp lemon juice.
Stimulates NK cell production. Prevents estrogen from binding to
cancer cells.
Do not use cat's claw if you are taking insulin for diabetes or
if you are pregnant or nursing.
- Kudzu tablets. Take 10 mg 3 times daily.
Contains daidzein, which stops growth of certain kinds of melanoma.
- Lentinan powder. Dosage to be determined by health-care provider.
Reduces rate at which melanoma can invade cells outside the skin.
- Polysaccharide kureha (PSK) tablets. Take 6,000 mg daily.
Reduces rate at which melanoma spreads to the lungs.
- Reishi tablets. Take 3,000 mg daily.
Stimulates body's production of IL-2.
- Siberian ginseng pure eleuthero extract. Take as directed on the label in 1/4 cup water.
Useful in forms of cancer that respond to immunotherapy.
- Soy isoflavone concentrate tablets. Take 3,000 mg daily.
Contains daidzein, which stops growth of certain kinds of melanoma.
If you develop an upset stomach from taking soy isoflavone concentrate, discontinue use
and use kudzu instead.
HERBS TO AVOID - People who have melanoma should avoid the
following herbs: cordyceps,
dan shen,
fennel,
licorice, and
peony
(estrogen stimulators), and also garlic (insulin stimulator).
What else you can do
- Avoid sunburn, not all sunlight. Regular exposure to
sunlight is essential for the skin to manufacture vitamin 0,
which activates genes in melanoma cells that signal them to
return to a normal cycle of growth and reproduction.
Moderate exposure to sunlight does not increase risk for the disease,
and melanoma frequently occurs on skin that is never
exposed to sunlight. In fact, staying out of the sun to avoid
melanoma, and thereby not getting enough sunlight, may be
responsible for recent increases in the death rate for this
disease. To ensure the body's production of vitamin
D, get at
least some sun exposure without using sunscreen, at least
twenty minutes a day in the early morning or late afternoon.
- Consume orange and yellow fruits and vegetables, and
green leafy vegetables. These foods provide a source of
vitamin A, which complements vitamin D. On the other hand,
over consumption of vitamin A, such as regular doses of cod
liver oil, increases the risk of melanoma development.
- Avoid animal fat, especially from beef and eggs. The
arachidonic acid in these foods encourages aggressive
growth of melanoma tumors and their spread throughout
the body. On the other hand, omega-3 fatty acids from
safflower oil (in cooking) and perilla oil (in capsules) may
make melanoma tumors less aggressive and reduce the
risk of their spread.
- Take 150 micrograms of selenium daily, preferably in
the form of selenomethionine. Laboratory studies show
that selenium reduces the spread of melanoma cells.
- Take 30 to 780 milligrams of glycine daily. In laboratory
studies, dietary glycine inhibits the growth of melanoma
tumors in mice. People with kidney or
liver disease should
not consume high levels of amino acids without consulting
a health-care professional.
- Avoid diet soft drinks. These beverages contain
phenylalanine, which in laboratory tests increases the ability
of melanoma cells to spread to other parts of the body.
- Never take tyrosine supplements. Like
phenylalanine,
tyrosine increases the ability of melanoma cells to spread.
- Examine your skin regularly. The Skin Care Foundation
recommends performing a full-body self-examination every
three months. To do this, you need a full-length mirror, a
handheld mirror, and ample lighting. Using the mirrors,
look for any changes in any moles or marks on your body. Be
sure to keep a close watch on any moles or other skin lesions
and have them checked regularly by a physician.
- Surgery is the primary conventional treatment for
melanoma, especially for small, early tumors. Chemotherapy is
used, although it is not as helpful in this disease as it is in
some other cancers. Immunotherapy, in which concentrated
amounts of the body's own immune-system chemicals are
given, is also used. The agents most often employed are
interleukin-2 (IL-2) and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK)
cells. Sometimes the hormone melatonin is added to the
treatment program.
- Lymphedema is a swelling of the tissues that may
follow cancer surgery.
- With early detection and treatment, most people recover
from skin cancer, but regular checkups are advised for at
least the next five years.
- Certain medications may make the skin more
susceptible to sun damage. These include antibiotics,
antidepressants, diuretics, antihistamines, sedatives, estrogen, and
acne
medications such as tretinoin (Retin-A) and isotretinoin
(Accutane). Ask your health-care provider or pharmacist if
any medication that you take might have such an effect.
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