Symptoms of skin cancer

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What Are the Symptoms of Skin Cancer? If you are in a high-risk group for skin cancer or have ever been treated for some form of the disease, you should familiarize yourself with how The general warning signs of skin cancer include: • Any change in size, color, shape, or texture of a mole or other skin growth • An open or inflamed skin wound that won't heal Melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer, may appear as: • A change in an existing mole • A small, dark, multicolored spot with irregular borders -- either elevated or flat -- that may bleed and form a scab • A cluster of shiny, firm, dark bumps • A mole larger than a pencil eraser An easy way to remember the Basal cell carcinoma may appear on sun-exposed skin as: • A pearly or flesh-colored oval bump with a rolled border, which may develop into a bleeding ulcer • A smooth red spot indented in the center • A reddish, brown, or bluish black patch of skin on the chest or back Squamous cell carcinoma may appear on sun-exposed skin as: • A firm, reddish, wart-like bump that grows gradually • A flat spot that becomes a bleeding sore that won't heal Call Your Doctor About Skin Cancer If: • An existing mole changes size, shape, color, or texture; or you develop a very noticeable new mole as an adult • A new skin growth or open sore does not heal or disappear in 6 weeks

Skin cancers often don't cause bothersome symptoms until they have grown quite large. Then they may itch, bleed, or even hurt. But typically they can be seen or felt long before they reach this point. Basal cell carcinomas Basal cell cancers usually develop on areas exposed to the sun, especially the face, head, and neck, but they can occur anywhere on the body. These cancers can appear as: • Flat, firm, pale or yellow areas, similar to a scar • Raised reddish patches that might be itchy • Small, pink or red, translucent, shiny, pearly bumps, which might have blue, brown, or black areas • Pink growths with raised edges and a lower area in their center, which might contain abnormal blood vessels spreading out like the spokes of a wheel • Open sores (which may have oozing or crusted areas) that don’t heal, or that heal and then come back Basal cell cancers are often fragile and might bleed after shaving or after a minor injury. Sometimes people go to the doctor because they have a sore or a cut from shaving that just won’t heal, which turns out to be a basal cell cancer. A simple rule of thumb is that most shaving cuts heal within a week or so. Squamous cell carcinomas Squamous cell cancers tend to occur on sun-exposed areas of the body such as the face, ear, neck, lip, and back of the hands. Less often, they form in the skin of the genital area. They can also develop in scars or skin sores elsewhere. These cancers can appear as: • Rough or scaly red patches, which might cru...

Diagnosis To diagnose skin cancer, your doctor may: • Examine your skin. Your doctor may look at your skin to determine whether your skin changes are likely to be skin cancer. Further testing may be needed to confirm that diagnosis. • Remove a sample of suspicious skin for testing (skin biopsy). Your doctor may remove the suspicious-looking skin for lab testing. A biopsy can determine whether you have skin cancer and, if so, what type of skin cancer you have. Determining the extent of the skin cancer If your doctor determines you have skin cancer, you may have additional tests to determine the extent (stage) of the skin cancer. Because superficial skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma rarely spread, a biopsy that removes the entire growth often is the only test needed to determine the cancer stage. But if you have a large squamous cell carcinoma, Merkel cell carcinoma or melanoma, your doctor may recommend further tests to determine the extent of the cancer. Additional tests might include imaging tests to examine the nearby lymph nodes for signs of cancer or a procedure to remove a nearby lymph node and test it for signs of cancer (sentinel lymph node biopsy). Doctors use the Roman numerals I through IV to indicate a cancer's stage. Stage I cancers are small and limited to the area where they began. Stage IV indicates advanced cancer that has spread to other areas of the body. The skin cancer's stage helps determine which treatment options will be most effective. Treat...

Skin cancer happens when something changes how your skin cells grow, like exposure to ultraviolet light. Symptoms include new bumps or patches on your skin, or changes in the size, shape or color of skin growths. Most skin cancer is treatable if it’s caught early. Treatments include Mohs surgery, cryotherapy, chemotherapy and radiation. Types of skin cancer and how you can recognize them. What is skin cancer? Skin cancer is a disease that involves the growth of abnormal cells in your skin tissues. Normally, as skin cells grow old and die, new cells form to replace them. When this process doesn’t work as it should — like after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun — cells grow more quickly. These cells may be noncancerous (benign), which don’t spread or cause harm. Or they may be cancerous. Skin cancer can spread to nearby tissue or other areas in your body if it’s not caught early. Fortunately, if skin cancer is identified and treated in early stages, most are cured. So, it’s important to talk with your healthcare provider if you think you have any signs of skin cancer. Types of skin cancer There are three main types of skin cancer: • Basal cell carcinoma, which forms in your basal cells in the lower part of your epidermis (the outside layer of your skin). • Squamous cell carcinoma, which forms in your squamous cells in the outside layer of your skin. • Melanoma, which forms in cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes produce melanin, a brown pigment that gives your...