Patricia Riteknown for her participation in the television program ‘Mujeres y hombres y viceversa’, died this Sunday due to a diagnosis of which she was diagnosed in 2019. It has been Patricia’s family30 years old and from Huelva, who have given the news through a statement on social media. “Patricia has left us. Her mother and relatives ask for respect in these hard times.”
Through social networks, the young woman has shared the entire process of the disease with her more than 300,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram. Turned into an example of improvement, the influencer has shown her day-to-day life with a positive attitude to normalize skin cancer and, above all, the effects of treatments.
Skin cancer: symptoms and treatment
Although the best known, named and feared is melanoma, there are several types of skin tumors. As explained by doctor Eduardo Nagore member of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) the three most prevalent cancers are squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
- Basal cell carcinoma: It is the most common skin cancer. It represents 75% of all malignant skin tumors. It can appear anywhere on the body, although they are more common in areas exposed to the sun, especially the head and neck.
They are slow growing tumors and are easily treatable. In addition, it is very rare that they produce metastases, so their prognosis is usually very good.
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He squamous cell carcinoma it represents approximately 20-25% of all skin cancers. It is a tumor that usually appears in light-skinned people who have been heavily exposed to the sun. It grows rapidly, which on the one hand facilitates its diagnosis, but also requires early treatment to stop it.
It can produce metastasis in the lymph nodes and after its removal the overall survival at 5 years is greater than 90%.
- Melanoma: according to dermatologists it is not the most frequent, but it is the one that produces about 90% of deaths from skin cancer. originates from melanocytes (the cells that give skin its color).
The key is in prevention and self-assessment
Educating in health is always an advantage for both the patient and the doctor. But in the case of those it is vital to improve the prognosis of the disease.
Proof of this are the data from a study, carried out with the support of the Academy of Dermatology, which showed that a three-month delay in the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinomas entailed a loss in survival of up to 8 points after 5 years and 13 points in the case of melanomas.
Despite this, only 11% of the population undergoes a mole review with a dermatologist and only 33% self-examine their skin annually. For this reason, skin specialists offer different tools so that the patient himself can check his own skin to detect any alarm symptoms.
How do I check my skin?
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Dedicate 10 minutes a month to observe our entire skin surface. All, including the soles of the feet and the scalp.
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A mirror or another person can help you for the most complicated areas like the back.
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Keep in mind that melanoma in women is more common to appear on the legs and arms. In the case of men, it appears on the trunk, head and neck. Take a good look at these areas.
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When looking for signs of melanoma skin cancer, remember the rule of thumb. A B C D E:
- Asymmetry: asymmetric moles.
- Edge: Moles with irregular borders, scalloped, cut to peak.
- Color: different types of color, brown, black, gray, bluish.
- Diameter: diameter greater than 6 mm.
- Evolution: Observe if there has been an evolution in recent months that has led to a move to any of the previous points.
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The presence of these signs or any other such as bleeding, inflammation, nodular growth, itching… is a reason to consult a dermatologist.
The specialists also remind us that new technological tools are just a click away to help self-examination, such as different mobile applications (UV Derma and eDerma).
Beware of the sun!
Avoiding the burn is crucial in the prevention of skin cancer, especially in children and adolescents. And it is that the risk of melanoma in adulthood doubles if burns were suffered in childhood or adolescence.
How to reduce the damage caused by solar radiation? Well, as dermatologists indicate, acquiring healthy habits before sun exposure:
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Avoiding solar exposures in the central hours of the day.
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In solar exposures, protect yourself with suitable clothing, t-shirts, long pants, hats with a brim greater than 7 cm and sunglasses.
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Make use of shadows (trees, umbrellas, awnings, etc…).
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Apply photoprotective creams with a protection factor equal to or greater than 30, reapply every two hours. And no stinging! It is better to go overboard with the amount of cream than to regret it in the future.
Last, but not least, is to go to the dermatologist on a regular basis or at any alarm sign. The earlier treatment is started, the better the prognosis.