Basal cell skin cancer, also known as basal cell carcinoma, is the most common type of skin cancer, and it is also the most common type of cancer in the world. This particular cancer grows slowly and rarely spreads to any distant part of the body. However, if not treated by a medical professional, it can be disfiguring by turning into bone and nearby tissue. It got its name because its cells resemble the basal cells found in the epidermis, the top layer of skin.
Both basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are classified as non-melanoma skin cancers, meaning they grow and spread less aggressively than melanomas. Squamous cell carcinoma is more likely than basal cell cancer to metastasize, or spread, to distant parts of the body. Although basal cell is the least dangerous of the three types of skin cancer, any change in a person's skin should be examined by a medical professional as soon as possible.
One of the main risk factors for basal cell skin cancer is overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, either from the sun or from tanning beds. People who live in regions that receive high levels of UV radiation are at risk of developing this form of cancer. Although it does not tend to develop until a person is older, it is important that people start protecting themselves from UV radiation at an early age by using sunscreen. Basal cell carcinoma is also more likely to develop in people whose hair is red or blond and whose skin is light in color.
This form of cancer causes changes to a person's skin, some subtle and others more obvious. Some cancers don't look much different from normal skin and appear only as raised, flesh-colored bumps. Others may be brown or pink. Basal cell skin cancers can also manifest as sore areas that never seem to heal, patches of dry, raw skin, or shiny growths that contain small, visible blood vessels. Most of these skin cancers appear on the head, face, and neck, but they can occur anywhere on the body, including the torso and legs.
Medical professionals treat this cancer by removing it, either by removing the tumor or by using curettage and electrodesiccation to scrape it off and then burn off any cancer cells that may linger. In cryosurgery, cancer cells are killed by freezing, and in Mohs surgery, the area of carcinoma is cut until there are no cancer cells left. If a person has had basal cell carcinoma of the skin once, they are at risk of developing it again. Anyone who has been treated for cancer should be vigilant to check their skin for changes and limit exposure to UV radiation.