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Skin Cancer

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Skin Cancer Care Designed for You

The skin is the body’s largest organ. It protects against heat, sunlight, injury and infection and helps control body temperature while storing water, fat and vitamin D. The skin has several layers, but the two main layers are the epidermis and the dermis. 

Skin cancer begins in the epidermis, which is made up of three kinds of cells:

  • Squamous cells: Thin, flat cells that form the top layer of the epidermis.
  • Basal cells: Round cells under the squamous cells. 
  • Melanocytes: Cells that make melanin and are found in the lower part of the epidermis. 

Skin cancer can occur anywhere on the body, but it’s most common on skin that is often exposed to sunlight, such as the face, neck, hands and arms.


Types of Skin Cancer We Treat 

There are three main types of skin cancer. Depending on which areas are affected, you may be diagnosed with: 

Basal Cell Carcinoma 

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer. Developing in your basal cells, it typically appears in areas that have been regularly exposed to the sun and often forms a lump, bump or lesion on the outside layer of your skin.

Basal Cell Carcinoma Risk Factors

Some factors that may put you at a higher risk for basal cell carcinoma include: 

  • Being exposed to natural sunlight or artificial sunlight, such as from tanning beds, over long periods of time
  • Having a fair complexion, which includes fair skin, light-colored eyes, and red or blond hair
  • Having actinic keratosis, a rough, scaly area on the skin caused by sun damage
  • Past treatment with radiation
  • Having a weakened immune system
  • Having certain changes in the genes that are linked to skin cancer
  • Being exposed to arsenic

Basal Cell Carcinoma Signs and Symptoms

Signs of basal cell carcinoma include the following: 

  • A sore that does not heal 
  • Areas of the skin that are: 
    • Raised, smooth, shiny and look pearly 
    • Firm and look like a scar, and may be white, yellow or waxy
    • Raised and red or reddish-brown
    • Scaly, bleeding or crusty

These are also indicators of squamous cell carcinoma, a similar nonmelanoma skin cancer.

If you notice any of these signs, schedule an appointment with your primary care provider or dermatologist.

Basal Cell Carcinoma Treatments

Surgery allows doctors to remove as much of the cancer as possible.

Radiation therapy targets abnormal cells with radiation, which damages them and keeps them from reproducing. 

Immunotherapy helps your body create more immune cells to help your body find and kill cancer cells.

Photodynamic therapy uses light to activate a drug that can treat abnormal cells while causing little damage to healthy cells.

Targeted therapy uses drugs or other substances to attack cancer cells without harming normal cells.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma develops on the outer layer of your skin, often in areas that have been in the sun, like your ears, lower lip and hands. It usually appears as a firm red bump and may feel scaly, bleed or form a crust. Squamous cell carcinoma may also appear on skin that has been burned or exposed to chemicals or radiation.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma Risk Factors

Some factors that may put you at a higher risk for squamous cell carcinoma include: 

  • Being exposed to natural sunlight or artificial sunlight, such as from tanning beds, over long periods of time
  • Having a fair complexion, which includes fair skin, light-colored eyes, and red or blond hair 
  • Having actinic keratosis, a rough, scaly area on the skin caused by sun damage
  • Past treatment with radiation
  • Having a weakened immune system
  • Having certain changes in the genes that are linked to skin cancer
  • Being exposed to arsenic

Squamous Cell Carcinoma Signs and Symptoms

Signs of squamous cell carcinoma include the following: 

  • A sore that does not heal 
  • Areas of the skin that are: 
    • Raised, smooth, shiny and look pearly 
    • Firm and look like a scar, and may be white, yellow or waxy
    • Raised and red or reddish-brown
    • Scaly, bleeding or crusty

These are also indicators of basal cell carcinoma, a similar nonmelanoma skin cancer. 

If you notice any of these signs, schedule an appointment with your primary care provider or dermatologist.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treatments

Surgery allows doctors to remove as much of the cancer as possible.

Radiation therapy targets abnormal cells with radiation, which damages them and keeps them from reproducing. 

Chemotherapy uses medication to kill cancer cells to slow down their growth and eliminate the disease.

Immunotherapy helps your body create more immune cells to help your body find and kill cancer cells.

Photodynamic therapy uses light to activate a drug that can treat abnormal cells while causing little damage to healthy cells.

Melanoma

Melanoma is a rare form of skin cancer. It’s more likely to invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body than other types of skin cancer. Melanoma can start on the skin, in mucous membranes and at the back of the eye. In men, melanoma is often found on the trunk or the head and neck. In women, melanoma forms most often on the arms and legs.

The number of new cases of melanoma has been increasing over the last 40 years. It is most common in adults but can also be found in children and adolescents.

Melanoma Risk Factors

Risk factors for melanoma include the following: 

  • Having a fair complexion, which includes fair skin, light-colored eyes, and red or blond hair 
  • Being exposed to natural sunlight or artificial sunlight, such as from tanning beds, over long periods of time
  • Being exposed to certain environmental factors in the air, at your home or workplace, and in your food and water 
  • Having a history of many blistering sunburns, especially as a child or teenager
  • Having several large or many small moles 
  • Having a family history of unusual moles 
  • Having a family or personal history of melanoma 
  • Being white
  • Having a weakened immune system
  • Having genetic changes linked to melanoma

Being white or having a fair complexion increases the risk of melanoma, but anyone can have melanoma, including people with dark skin.

Melanoma Signs & Symptoms

Some signs and symptoms of melanoma include: 

  • A mole that: 
    • Changes in size, shape or color
    • Has irregular edges or borders
    • Is more than one color
    • Is asymmetrical
    • Itches
    • Oozes, bleeds or is ulcerated
  • A change in pigmented skin
  • Satellite moles, or new moles growing by existing ones

If you notice any of these signs, schedule an appointment with your primary care provider or dermatologist

 

Melanoma Treatments

Surgery allows doctors to remove as much of the tumor as possible. 

Radiation therapy targets abnormal cells with radiation, which damages them and keeps them from reproducing. 

Immunotherapy helps your body create more immune cells to help your body find and kill cancer cells.

Targeted therapy uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells.