A Cancer You Can Prevent

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We're going to say it, "Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen." Skin cancer is one of the types of cancers that patients can really cut their risk factors for. There are many types of skin cancers, and although not as aggressive as melanoma, this type should be understood. Three words: Basal Cell Carcinoma. This is a cancer that grows on parts of your skin that get a lot of sun. As long as it's caught early, it's perfectly curable. 

This type of skin cancer is very unlikely to spread from your skin to other parts of your body but can move to nearby bone or other tissue under the skin. The tumor starts off as small shiny bumps on the nose of other parts of the face. But they can develop on any part of the body. 

It's a slow-growing cancer, which often leads to very low morbidity rates and can even not show up for many years after intense of long-term exposure to the sun. For those who use tanning beds, this cancer can develop at a younger age. 

Symptoms:

  • A sore that won't heal
  • Pearly white or waxy bump on skin
  • Flat, scaly brown or flesh-colored patch

Risk Factors

  • Chronic sun exposure. 
  • Exposure to radiation. 
  • Fair skin. 
  • Men are more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma than women are.
  • Your age. Because basal cell carcinomas often take decades to develop, the majority of basal cell carcinomas occur in people age 50 or older.
  • A personal or family history of skin cancer. 
  • Immune-suppressing drugs. 
  • Exposure to arsenic. 
  • Inherited syndromes that cause skin cancer. 

Treatment: A number of treatments are available for basal cell carcinoma. What treatment is best for you depends on the type, location and severity of your cancer. Some commonly used basal cell carcinoma treatments include:

  • Electrodesiccation and curettage (ED&C). This procedure removes the surface of the skin cancer with a scraping instrument and then sears the base of the cancer with an electric needle. 
  • Surgical excision. In this procedure, your doctor cuts out the cancerous tissue and a surrounding margin of healthy skin. To minimize scarring, especially on your face, consult a doctor skilled in skin reconstruction.
  • Freezing. This involves killing cancerous cells by freezing them with liquid nitrogen (cryosurgery). It's useful for cancers that are very thin and don't extend deep into the skin.
  • Mohs surgery. During the procedure, your doctor removes the cancer cells layer by layer, examining each layer under the microscope until no abnormal cells remain. This allows the entire growth to be removed without taking an excessive amount of surrounding healthy tissue. 
  • Topical treatments. Basal cell carcinoma that is superficial and doesn't extend very far into the skin may be treated with creams or ointments. The drugs imiquimod (Aldara) and fluorouracil (Carac, Fluoroplex, Efudex) are used for several weeks to treat certain basal cell carcinomas that are limited to the surface of the skin.