Is skin cancer incurable?

That is not the case.

Skin cancer sounds scary, and some cases are indeed serious, but it is not necessarily an incurable disease.

In fact, skin cancer is almost the easiest type of cancer to detect and treat. If it can be detected and treated early, the cure rate is very high.

Here is a brief introduction. Skin cancer is mainly divided into 3 types: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the most common types. They usually develop slowly and have a high cure rate through surgery after early diagnosis. Melanoma is a relatively rare but more aggressive type of skin cancer. If it is found in the early stage and can be completely removed through surgery, the patient's survival rate is also very high.

In addition, with the advancement of medical technology, new treatments such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy are also developing, providing more treatment options for skin cancer patients. Regular skin examinations, especially for those with high-risk factors (such as long-term exposure to sunlight, family history, and elderly people, etc.), can detect and treat potential skin lesions in a timely manner and greatly improve the prognosis.

In conclusion, although skin cancer may have certain harms, most skin cancer patients can be effectively treated through modern medical treatment methods. Therefore, it is inaccurate to generalize all skin cancers as "incurable diseases". The public should pay attention to skin health, conduct regular checks, and take active prevention measures to obtain better treatment effects and quality of life.

Author: Tang Jiaoqing, MD, attending physician of dermatology

Review | Feng Jun, deputy chief physician of the Dermatology Department of Sinopharm Tongmei General Hospital