Offices located at:
3998 Vista Way, Oceanside, CA 92056
499 N El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA 92024
9850 Genesee Ave, La Jolla, Suite 530, Ximed Building, CA 92093
They serve the San Diego, CA area including: Oceanside, Encinitas, La Jolla, California
ACTINIC KERATOSES are pre-malignances recognized as rough-surfaced patches on sun-exposed skin often better felt than seen. They are sometimes tender or sensitive and have a gritty feel, like fine sandpaper. They are usually treated with liquid nitrogen, applied by sprayer or cotton tipped applicator, which produces a blister or scab, destroying the pre-malignant cells and preventing a future skin cancer.
BASAL CELL CARCINOMAS are the most common cancers of humankind, making up the majority of the 1.5 million skin cancers diagnosed annually. Fortunately, they are also the most curable! They virtually never spread to other parts of the body but can invade deeply and destroy or disfigure the eyes, nose, lips, ear or other body parts. They can be recognized as pearly bumps with fine blood vessels on the surface or as sores that do not heal for more than two weeks. Less common forms of basal cell carcinoma can resemble a scar that appears for no apparent reason or even a rash resembling eczema, psoriasis or ringworm but which does not respond to appropriate therapy for these conditions.
SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMAS usually are rough-surfaced bumps that extend down into the skin so if you squeeze the skin, it feels like a lump. One variety, called a KERATOACANTHOMA, looks like a volcano with a central crater and may be tender as a boil. They usually are only locally destructive, like basal cell carcinomas, but have some tendency to spread to local lymph glands especially if they are large (over an inch in diameter) or on the lip, ear or central face.
I recommend that your doctor biopsy suspicious lesions rather than trying to remove them totally at the same time. As with melanomas, even the most skilled dermatologists are unable to absolutely diagnose skin cancers 100% of the time and over- and under-treatment can be avoided if a biopsy gives your doctor the exact diagnoses and an idea of how deep the tumor is growing.
Prevention of skin cancer consists of daily use of sunscreens and protective clothing. Additionally, there is some evidence that a low-fat diet may reduce the number of pre-malignancies and skin cancers.
Treatment Information
Skin cancers can be excised surgically under local anesthesia or can be treated with Mohs micrographic surgery, laser or electrodesiccation. Very superficial skin cancers may be treatable with liquid nitrogen freezing or creams that stimulate the immune system.
3613 Vista Way Oceanside, CA 92056 Ph. 760-758-5340
499 North El Camino Real Suite B101 Encinitas, CA 92024 Ph. 760-942-1311
9850 Genesee Ave. Suite 530 La Jolla, CA 92037 Ph. 858-558-0677
Quick links:
