Medical Questions » Skin Cancer Questions » Question No. 904
| Question: | My 61 year old mother is rapidly developing a large number of squamous skin cancers on her legs, despite the fact that she has always kept them well covered. As soon as one is cut out, another appears. Is there anything that can be done about this. |
| Answer: | Skin cancers are caused by exposure to excessive amounts of sun in childhood, but it can be decades later that they develop.
All of us are producing cancer cells in our bodies every day, but these abnormal cells are normally rapidly destroyed by the body' s defence mechanisms. In old age, these defences do not work as well, and this allows skin cancers (and other forms of cancer) to develop more easily.
Many older people develop multiple skin cancers, particularly if they spent their childhood in sunny climates, despite protecting themselves from the sun later in life.
These skin cancers can be removed by cutting them out, freezing them off, burning them away or by using special chemicals on the skin.
Larger spots must be cut out, but multiple small skin cancers may be frozen with liquid nitrogen spray as soon as they appear. This is probably the best option for your mother, as there is no way to prevent them from developing.
A cream called Efudix, which can only be obtained on prescription, can also be used to control multiple small skin cancers. Ir destroys the cancer cells directly, and the skin heals with minimal scarring.
Moisturising creams applied freely to sun-damaged skin will keep that area supple and less likely to develop skin cancer.
|
|
|
