Aftercare

Ultimately, it is very important that patients with a history of skin cancer are regularly monitored for 10 years after their clinical cure.This is recommended every three to six months, depending on the type of skin cancer and its spread, as these people are at increased risk of developing skin cancer a second time in their lives. Through regular and consistent follow-up care, such possible second malignancies can be detected early and an adequate therapy can be initiated in time, resulting in very good chances of recovery for the patient. Consistent protection from sunlight is important for the prevention of all skin cancer types. In the case of basal cell carcinomas, the use of retinoids (substances similar to vitamin A) also serves as a preventive measure. It also makes sense for the patient to examine suspicious changes in skin cancer himself and to participate in the skin cancer screening offered by dermatologists from the age of 35 (every 2 years).

Prognosis

The prognosis of different types of skin cancer depends on the form.

Basal cell carcinoma: In general, the prognosis of the skin cancer “basal cell carcinoma” is good. However, it depends on the localization and on the type of treatment of the skin cancer.
As a rule, the cure rate is over 90%. Recurrences occur in 5% of cases.
Spinalioma: In the case of spinalioma, the prognosis is also influenced by the location and also the thickness of the skin cancer. The 5-year survival rate is 68 to 80%.
If the skin cancer is located at the mucosa or the skin-mucosa border, the prognosis is usually worse.
Malignant melanoma: The prognosis for malignant melanoma is also dependent on localization, cancer thickness, metastasis and lymph node involvement. Skin cancer of the extremities has a better prognosis than that of the trunk. Overall, the mortality rate of this skin cancer type is 20%.

The face is an area of the human body that is particularly exposed to sunlight and thus UV radiation.

Since the development of the so-called white skin cancer can be particularly associated with a high UV exposure, this type of tumor is particularly common on the face. But also black skin cancer is associated with UV exposure and occurs more frequently in the facial area. So when examining the skin and looking for early stages of skin cancer, special attention should be paid to the skin on the face.

If moles and liver spots on the face change or new ones appear, a doctor should always be consulted to examine the areas. Areas of the face that are most frequently affected by skin cancer are the ears and the nose. Since these two areas of the face are at a direct angle to the incoming UV radiation, they are more frequently affected by skin cancer than other areas of the face.

In addition to the face, the scalp should not be forgotten when examining the skin as it is also frequently affected by skin cancer. The nose is an area of the face that is most often affected by skin cancer. The reason for this is that the nose is only rarely protected by a piece of clothing from the sun and thus the UV radiation.

Since UV radiation is the main cause for the development of malignant skin cancer, many forms of skin cancer are found in this part of the body. The nose belongs to the so-called sun terraces in the face. The name is derived from the angle of the nose to the sun.

In addition to the nose, the ears and forehead also belong to this endangered group. The skin cancer does not always have to develop directly on the nose. Also at the sides or at the nostrils a skin cancer focus can form. In general, if skin changes occur without a reason, a doctor should be consulted to examine the area and make a diagnosis. This is especially true if the skin type is light and a high UV exposure is known.