How Chemical Exposure May Cause A Squamous Skin Cancer

Studies today are beginning to show a link between the development of squamous skin cancer and chemical exposure.

While cancer can develop in many parts of the body, the most common form is skin cancer, especially since the skin is considered as the largest organ in the body and it is the organ most exposed to the harsh environment.

There are three types of skin cancer - basal cell, squamous, and melanoma. While basal cell cancer is the most frequently occurring, and while melanoma is the most dangerous, squamous skin cancer is equally dangerous. The disease manifests as unsightly skin lesions, however, a squamous tumor caused by this type of cancer is known to grow at relatively slower rate. However, the chances of metastasis to other parts of the body is still present, though not as high as in melanoma, which is the most aggressive of the skin cancer types.

Chemical Exposure

One of the causes being linked to squamous skin cancer are chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. This is a the name of a group of approximately 10,000 compounds which result from wood, coal, gas, and other materials that are burnt incompletely. They can be very small particles which can travel great distances through the air. They also take the form of ash and can filter into water as well as settling on the surface of objects. They are also released in higher amounts in objects that have been burned in low temperatures, such as in cigarettes.

Where Does Exposure Happen?

Exposure from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons occurs in three ways -

1. The air that we breathe in - Most exhaust fumes contain some of the 10,000 compounds belonging to this group, and among the risky exhausts are those that come from smoke, automobile emissions, as well as industrial exhaust.

2. Contamination from touching - This can also lead to chemical exposure, especially through bathing in water that has been contaminated with the compounds. The skin can absorb these very small particles, leading to squamous skin cancer.

3. Food and Drink - These are other ways of being exposed to chemicals, especially in shellfish which live in waters contaminated by ash containing these compounds, or in water sources where ash are buried.

Testing

One of the best ways of determining whether you have these chemicals in your body is through blood and urine testing. The compounds will show up shortly after exposure on the body, but most regular physical checkup examinations will not include tests for these compounds. If you think that you have been exposed, consult a doctor immediately. With immediate treatment, the exposure does not have to lead to cancer, but prolonged and untreated exposure may increase the chances of possibly developing a squamous tumor.