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Skin Cancer Essay

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What is the cause of skin cancer? Stresses such as tobacco and radiation can cause cancer by damage to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) cells. DNA is the source of life which is stored inside the nucleus of every cell that makes up a living organism. To be able to fit inside a 10-micrometer average size cell, 10-meter long DNA has to be packed into a complex structure which is known as chromatin. Nucleosome is DNA wrapping around histone octamers and chromatin is form when nucleosomes in a nucleus compact together (Yu et al. 2011). At the chromatin level, it compacts to protect DNA from stresses after a short period of time (Interview with Dr. Michael Bergel 2015; unreferenced, see “Acknowledgements”). DNA fails to repair or kill itself (apoptosis) after being damaged which will causes DNA mutation. DNA mutation in a certain gene can make cells grow “out of control”. In human cells, the process of repairing DNA damage which occurs within chromatin is called Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER). Increasing age will decrease DNA ability to repair itself; this explains why a majority of cancer patients appear to be older adults. Ultraviolet radiation (UV radiation) is the main cause of skin cancer. Chromatin in skin cells after UV irradiation are found to …show more content…
The best thing to do is to go to the dermatologist at least once a year and apply sunscreen thirty minutes before sun exposure. More than that, according to Dr. Michael Bergel’s research, chromatin compact to protect DNA after several minutes under the effect of UV radiation and DNA cells are found to be protected from UV radiation if there was a five-minute break between each time of UV radiation exposure (Test results from Dr. Michael Bergel 2015; unreferenced, see “Acknowledgements”). Therefore, short period breaks from exposure under the sun are suggested to protect DNA from being damaged. Most skin cancers, if detected early, are 90-95 percent

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