Basal-cell carcinoma

What it is:

• It is the most common type of skin cancer in fair-skinned people.
• It is more common than all other cancers combined.
• It is estimated that 1 in 5 Americans will develop a basal-cell carcinoma in their lifetime. (1)
• It is very strongly associated with chronic sun exposure or sun tanning.
• It usually shows up on the face, ears, scalp, neck, or upper body.

Signs:

• A red patch

• A pink, red, or white bump that is shiny or pearly

• A crusty, open sore that will not heal

• A scar-like area

• It grows very slowly and usually does not spread to other parts of the body

• It is usually removed with surgery or by freezing the tumor (cryotherapy)

Squamous-cell carcinoma

What it is:

• It is the second-most-common type of skin cancer in fair-skinned people.
• An estimated 200,000 squamous-cell carcinomas occur each year. (2)
• It is twice as likely to occur in men as in women.
• It usually appears on the face, neck, arms, scalp, ear, lips, or mouth.
• Like other skin cancers, it is caused by excessive exposure to UV rays from the sun or indoor tanning booths.

 Signs:

• A bump or scaly red patch

• A slow-growing cancer

• Can spread to other parts of the body; thus, it is important to treat it as early as possible through surgery or radiation therapy

• When on lips, it is associated with smoking or using chewing tobacco and has a much higher rate of spread to other parts of the body

References:

1. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1996;35:1012-1013;

2. CA Cancer J Clin. 2008;58;71-96.