Forms of cancer, unfortunately, are too diverse. But is there hair cancer? In principle, this type cannot be, since hair, hair is dead matter. But there are oncological diseases that affect the scalp. In their danger, they are not inferior to other locations of the tumor. In the article we will present the reasons for their formation, alarming symptoms, types of the disease, methods of diagnosis and therapy.
What is it?
Hair cancer is a simplified name for an oncological process that affects healthy skin cells under the scalp.
It must be said that pathology most often affects open areas of the epidermis. Therefore, only about 5% of all identified cases will relate to this species. The risk group here is considered to be people of respectable age (over 50 years old).
Species of skin cancer
So, hair cancer is a type of cancer that affects the skin. This type will include several types of tumors:
- Squamous cell. It develops from keratinocytes (flat cells). For a character tumor, a high rate of development and metastasis. It is localized at the places where the mucous membranes go into the skin. This is a uniform, compacted formation that appears on the surface or in the thickness of the skin. The tumor itches, it hurts due to the destruction of the epidermis.
- Basal cell. Speaking of hair cancer, they often mean just this tumor. It features a slow progression, does not give complications. It develops in the deep layers of the epithelium, and as it grows, it also affects the surface integument. Outwardly - a small scaly seal. In the photo of hair cancer, you can see how it looks.
- Tumor of skin appendages. It develops from affected blood vessels. It looks like a reddish or bluish rash. As it progresses, it is converted into ulcers, inside of which the destruction of the skin occurs.
- Melanomas This is a malignant degeneration of a pigment spot or mole. Including can be observed on the scalp. A dangerous phenomenon, characterized by rapid metastasis and germination inside the skin.
Let's take a closer look at the identified varieties of so-called hair cancer.
Basal cell tumor
Basal cell carcinoma is a gap between a benign and a malignant formation. Itself does not give metastasis.
This tumor is divided into several varieties:
- Flat. A distinctive characteristic is the weakly expressed localization of the neoplasm. It can grow to a significant part of the skin cells under the hair, causing them to die.
- Nodular. It has clear contours and high density. The danger is that it grows inside the skin.
- Superficial. Often this form of cancer is confused with diseases of the skin of the scalp. It affects only the surface of the skin, without causing cell death, without penetrating deep into the epidermis.
Melanoma
Specialists-oncologists, the neoplasm is also divided into several classes:
- Superficial. A nodular tumor will be above the skin. Outwardly, it looks like a flat circle, a yellowish plaque. Although it develops slowly, it makes itself felt even in the early stages - a person feels itching, tingling, and other discomfort in its localization. Symptoms increase as cancer formation develops. In the later stages, melanoma begins to peel off, is affected by erosion.
- Infiltrating. It grows in the deep layers of the skin, does not have a clear location.
- Papillary. In appearance, this cancerous tumor is easily confused with papilloma - it looks like a ball (it has a wide base), it rests on a leg. Characterized by rapid progression.
- Appearing against a background of scars on the skin.
Causes of occurrence
Possible causes of hair cancer (cancer of the skin under the hair) are the following factors:
- Long direct exposure to sunlight (ultraviolet and high temperatures). This is a systematic walking without a headdress under the scorching rays of the sun. Causes both melanoma and basal cell tumor.
- Ionizing radiation, the influence of direct electromagnetic current. The high probability of the development of such an education persecutes workers in hazardous radioactive industries who have survived accidents at nuclear reactors, and specialists in the field of radiotherapy.
- Permanent exposure to hair, scalp of aggressive chemical components. The latter can be found in low-quality hair dyes and brighteners, hygienic and cosmetic preparations. Nicotine, arsenic, carcinogens are the causes of cancer.
- Regular trauma to the scalp. As we already mentioned, melanoma is often formed on scars. Permanent damage to the skin can provoke the degeneration of epidermal cells into malignant.
- Skin diseases. In particular, chronic dermatitis.
- Hereditary factors.
- Reduced immunity.
- Long-term treatment with immunostimulating and hormonal drugs.
Provocative factors
The following can provoke the development of a cancer tumor under the scalp:
- Sensitive skin type.
- A large number of moles on the body. Injury to these marks often leads to degeneration into malignant melanoma. Combing hair, it is easy to discreetly damage a mole in their thick.
- Violations of the endocrine system.
- Permanent injuries of the same area of the skin.
- Bowen, Paget's disease.
Initial signs
The initial alarming symptoms of hair cancer are as follows:
- Subtle rash of gray-yellow hue. Do not excrete themselves with other symptoms.
- Itchy skin.
- Moles on the scalp enlarge, change their shape, begin to crack and peel off. Of them, blood, mucus can be released.
- On the skin under the hair appeared a formation similar to a nodule, a plaque.
- Unreasonable weight loss.
Does hair fall out during cancer? This symptom does not mean a malignant formation, because in this case, the skin under the hair is affected, and not the hair follicles.
Signs of a developing pathology
The progression of hair cancer reveals itself as follows:
- The affected area of the skin contrasts sharply in color with healthy skin. It may be bluish, yellowish.
- Education is aching, it hurts.
- With minor damage, the skin cracks, bleeding opens.
- Dramatic causeless weight loss.
Diagnostics
Diagnosing the disease is the prerogative of a qualified oncologist. First of all, the doctor collects an anamnesis - analyzes the patient's complaints, conducts a visual examination, palpates the formation in the thick of the hair.
The patient is sent for laboratory diagnosis - biopsy to clarify the diagnosis. This is a sample of the affected tissue. The pathology of the cells, the stage of development of the formation are assessed.
Hardware methods are also widely applicable:
- CT scan;
- radioisotope diagnostic method;
- Ultrasound
- sonography;
- X-ray examination.
Directions of therapy
After making a diagnosis, confirming the malignancy of the patient, one of the types of treatment is prescribed:
- Radiation therapy. Helps remove squamous cell carcinoma. Typically, close-focus exposure is used for these purposes. Satisfactory effect of the procedure - 97% of cases.
- Surgical removal. Today it is the most effective way to combat skin tumors, as it allows you to completely eliminate them. This is the excision of pathologically altered matter, carried out under general anesthesia.
- Cryoprocedures. The neoplasm is frozen in liquid nitrogen. The field of such an impact is being destroyed. Effective with superficial tumors.
- Electrocoagulation In this case, cancer cells are eliminated by exposure to electric current.
Additionally, as well as preventive and recovery measures, the patient is prescribed the following:
- Vitamin Therapy.
- Making the right balanced diet.
- Taking medications. In particular, funds that help restore immunity after treatment.
- Recommendations: Avoid exposure to direct sunlight, wear hats, and use creams with UV filters.
Cancer hair loss
We also note the fact that with a different form and localization of the disease, alopecia is possible. Why does cancer lose hair? This has nothing to do with the disease itself. Alopecia in this case will be a side effect of the treatment - chemotherapy. Highly toxic drugs are administered to the patient, capable of destroying all rapidly multiplying cells in the body. These are precisely the types of cancers.
However, cells of the hair follicles, mucous membranes of the nasal, oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, and hematopoietic system are also considered to be rapidly dividing. Accordingly, they also suffer from exposure to chemotherapy drugs. Therefore, with cancer, hair falls out, nails become brittle, a person may develop stomatitis, gastrointestinal tract diseases. But alopecia will only be accompanied by a course of chemotherapy. Only the patient will finish the treatment, his hair after cancer begins to grow back and recover.
And one more popular question. Can I dye my hair with cancer? If the disease does not imply a course of chemotherapy, then such a change in appearance does not affect the patient's condition. With the introduction of highly toxic antitumor drugs, it is better not to disturb the hair once again - wash it with a neutral gentle shampoo, comb it with a soft comb, and do not turn to styling and coloring. Dyes and brighteners in themselves are a test for hair. And on those weakened by chemotherapy, they will have the most negative effect.
Unfortunately, even caring does not always allow us to preserve the old hairstyle. Hair falls out, thins, becomes dull, brittle, dry. Therefore, patients undergoing chemotherapy prefer to do a short haircut or even shave their hair. For the recovery period, wigs are prepared, suitable hats.
I must say, in 95% of cases, cancer of the hair (epidermis under the hairline) at the initial stage is completely cured. Only 3% of patients had relapse after a few years. Repeated treatment helped prevent the return of the disease in 86% of cases. If therapy began with a tumor in the active phase, characterized by rapid metastasis, the percentage of fully recovered stopped at 25%. The probability of death is 5%.