Skin Cancer Specialists Pocatello ID

Find Skin Cancer Specialists in Pocatello, ID. Whether you’re seeking treatment or looking to schedule a preventative screening, we can connect you with the best dermatologists near you in Pocatello, ID.

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Skin Cancer Specialists FAQ in Pocatello, ID

How do you know if melanoma is spreading?

If your melanoma has spread to other areas, you may have: Hardened lumps under your skin. Swollen or painful lymph nodes. Trouble breathing, or a cough that doesn’t go away.

Can you tell the stage of melanoma from a biopsy?

These test results along with the results from your skin biopsy, complete skin exam, and physical are used to determine the stage of the melanoma. When everything that your doctor sees suggests that the cancer may have spread to a lymph node, your doctor may recommend a procedure called a sentinel lymph node biopsy.

What happens if skin biopsy is positive?

Generally, after a patient receives positive melanoma results, his or her doctors will need to proceed with staging the malignancy— which essentially means determining the extent of the cancer—and developing a treatment plan based on how far the cancer has progressed.

How do doctors know if skin cancer has spread?

For people with more-advanced melanomas, doctors may recommend imaging tests to look for signs that the cancer has spread to other areas of the body. Imaging tests may include X-rays, CT scans and positron emission tomography (PET) scans.

How do you beat skin cancer?

Freezing. Your doctor may destroy actinic keratoses and some small, early skin cancers by freezing them with liquid nitrogen (cryosurgery). Excisional surgery. Mohs surgery. Curettage and electrodesiccation or cryotherapy. Radiation therapy. Chemotherapy. Photodynamic therapy. Biological therapy.

What does serious skin cancer look like?

In most cases, cancerous lumps are red and firm and sometimes turn into ulcers, while cancerous patches are usually flat and scaly. Non-melanoma skin cancer most often develops on areas of skin regularly exposed to the sun, such as the face, ears, hands, shoulders, upper chest and back.

How long can a person live with squamous cell carcinoma?

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) generally has a high survival rate. The 5-year survival is 99 percent when detected early. Once SCC has spread to the lymph nodes and beyond, the survival rates are lower. Yet this cancer is still treatable with surgery and other therapies, even in its advanced stages.

Can you live with skin cancer for years?

Overall, 9 in 10 people diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer today are predicted to survive their disease for at least ten years.

What happens if you ignore skin cancer?

These skin cancers will continue to grow if nothing is done to stop them. Extended growth can result in involvement of vital structures like the nose, eyes, ears, bone, tendon or muscle and can become disfiguring or even life-threatening. Fortunately, most of the time they grow very slowly.

What vitamins fight melanoma?

Some studies report that normal levels of vitamin D 3 at the time of diagnosis are associated with a better prognosis in patients with melanoma. High circulating vitamin D concentration has been found to be associated with reduced melanoma progression and improved survival.