Psoriasis and Skin Cancer

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Psoriasis and Skin Cancer
Human Anatomy/Physiology The Integumentary System
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Psoriasis

• -Psoriasis is a skin disorder that affects 7
  million Americans. It is characterized by
  keratinocytes that divide and move more quickly
  than normal cells from the stratum basal to the
  stratum corneum. The premature keratinocytes
  form flaky, silvery scales at the skin surface
  typically on the knees, elbows, and scalp
  (dandruff). Effective treatments are various
  topical ointments and UV phototherapy which is
  used to suppress cell division, decrease the rate
  of cell growth, or inhibit keratinization.

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Plaque Psoriasis

• Plaque psoriasis is the most typical form of the
  disease. The characteristics include patches of
  red, raised skin. The buildup of flaky,
  silvery-white skin on top of the plaque is called
  a scale. The scale will continually come loose
  and shed from the plaque. The skin affected is
  usually very dry, and symptoms include skin pain,
  itching, and cracking.

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Plaque Psoriasis
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Guttate Psoriasis

• Guttate psoriasis appears in small, red,
  individual drops on the skin. Most often, they
  are seen on the torso and limbs, but sometimes on
  the scalp also. Typically, they arent thick or
  scaly like plaque psoriasis, but spread over the
  affected areas like chicken pox. This form of
  psoriasis often begins in childhood or young
  adulthood and is triggered by an infection of
  some sort.

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Guttate Psoriasis
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Inverse Psoriasis

• Often called flexural psoriasis, this form is
  mainly found on the armpits, groin, under the
  breasts, and in other skin folds around the
  genitals and buttocks. The skin appears smooth,
  dry, red, and inflamed with no scaling. This
  condition is particularly subject to irritation
  from rubbing and sweating due to the location in
  the skin folds and tender areas. Its more
  common and troublesome in overweight people.

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Inverse Psoriasis
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Erythrodermic Psoriasis

• Although this is the least common form of
  psoriasis, it appears most often on people with
  unstable plaque psoriasis where the lesions are
  not clearly defined. Most of the body surface is
  affected by periodic, widespread fiery redness of
  the skin. The erythma (reddening) and
  exfoliation (shedding) of the skin is accompanied
  by severe itching and pain. Swelling may also be
  a symptom.

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Erythrodermic Psoriasis
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Generalized Pustular

• This form is also relatively rare, but forms
  when widespread areas of reddened skin develop
  and become acutely painful. Pustules (blisters
  of non-infectious pus), appear on the skin, dry
  out, and then reappear in repeated cycles lasting
  several days.

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Generalized Pustular
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Localized Pustular

• Localized pustular psoriasis appears mainly on
  the hands and feet. It is characterized by
  pustules in fleshy areas that appear in studded
  patterns throughout the reddened plaques of skin.
  The pustules then turn brown and peel from the
  skin. Another rare form of this type of
  psoriasis is characterized by lesions on the ends
  of fingers and sometimes toes. The lesions can
  be painful and disabling by causing nail
  deformities which, in severe cases, causes the
  nails to turn to bone.

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Localized Pustular
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Skin Cancer
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Basal Cell Carcinoma

• Basal cell carcinoma is caused in most cases by
  repetitive sun-damage and sun-exposure. Because
  of this, it is most often seen on scalp,
  forehead, face, nose, neck, and back. The cancer
  appears as a smooth, pearly-shaped lump with
  small veins snaking around the surface. If left
  untreated, BCC can eat away at the skin, leaving
  a patch that looks like rat had been chewing at
  it. This is known as a rodent ulcer. To
  determine if BCC is present, the doctor will take
  a biopsy of the suspicious area. The sample is
  sent to a pathologist who tests it for cancer
  cells. Treatments are surgically removing the
  diseased skin, destroying it using liquid
  nitrogen, electricity, or a laser, and
  microscopically controlled surgery for
  cosmetically important areas. This type of
  cancer rarely spreads.

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Basal Cell Carcinoma
This is a persons face
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Squamous Cell Carcinoma

• SCC appears mainly in people 55 years and older.
  The disease is believed to be in direct relation
  with the total accumulation of solar radiation in
  a persons lifetime. The growths are most likely
  found on the forehead, temple, ears, neck,
  shoulders, and legs. It begins as a precancerous
  growth that slowly develops into a firm, small,
  irritated lump. As the lump grows, it begins to
  break down and ulcerate. The cancerous area
  bleeds easily when scraped, but is associated
  with little to no pain. Treatment begins the
  same way as BCC treatment, but surgical removal
  of the cancerous growth is the only course of
  treatment. Because SCC is likely to spread, all
  of the cancerous tissue must be removed.

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Squamous Cell Carcinoma
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Malignant Melanoma

• Malignant melanoma is on the rise in the U.S.
  In fact, its increasing by 4-8 every year. One
  in every one hundred Americans will develop this
  cancer. Much of this rise is contributed to
  societys obsession with tan skin. This form of
  skin cancer is the most likely to metastasize, or
  spread through the bloodstream to other areas of
  the body. Melanoma typically starts with a tan
  spot that slowly grows and changes.

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Melanoma Continued...

• Another type is called nodular melanoma which
  develops into a black, blue, or white mark that
  rapidly grows into a bump/mole. Because melanoma
  spreads so quickly, early diagnosis and removal
  of suspicious moles is very important. Once it
  spreads, malignant melanoma is very difficult to
  treat. Studies are being done to see if
  chemotherapies are an effective treatment. As of
  now, there are no great treatments for malignant
  melanoma. There are four general types of
  malignant melanoma.

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Superficial Spreading Melanoma

• This is the most common type of melanoma,
  accounting for 65 of a diagnosed cases. It
  begins at one focus in the skin in the junction
  of the dermo-epideraml layers. It starts growing
  on a horizontal plane just above and below the
  dermo-epidermal junction. This is called the
  radial growth phase. The mole that results
  from such a growth violates the rules of color,
  border, elevation, asymmetry, and diameter.

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Superficial
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Nodular Melanoma

• This form of the disease is much less common,
  and grows in thickness rather than diameter. The
  outlook worsens as the mole thickens. This form
  of melanoma metastasizes easily and violates
  color, diameter, and elevation.

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Nodular Melanoma
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Lentigo Maligna Melanoma

• This form is seen mainly in the older
  population. It may grow for years horizontally
  before the more aggressive vertical growth stage
  begins. This type violates asymmetry, border,
  color, diameter, and eventually elevation.

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Lentigo Maligna Melanoma
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Acrolentiginous Melanoma

• This type of melanoma appears mainly on the
  hands and feet. Because of this, it is usually
  ignored by the patient, and then spreads
  throughout the body. Color, diameter, border,
  and asymmetry are all indications.

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Acrolentiginous Melanoma