Description

Non-melanoma skin cancer refers to all the types of cancer that occur in the skin that are not melanoma.

Several types of skin cancer fall within the broader category of non-melanoma skin cancer. Almost all non-melanoma skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. Other types of non-melanoma skin cancer are rare.

Non-melanoma skin cancer treatment depends on the type of cancer. Skin cancer treatment usually involves surgery to remove the cancer cells.

Symptoms

The symptoms of non-melanoma skin cancer often develop on parts of the body that are exposed to the sun. Examples include the scalp, face, ears, neck, chest, arms, and hands. But the non-melanoma skin cancer can happen in other parts of the body also. This includes the lips, the fingers, the nails of the hands and the genital areas.

Non-melanoma skin cancer, symptoms appear as a change on the skin, including:

  • A new growth of the skin.
  • Changes in the existing of the skin spot, such as changes in the shape or the color.
  • The itching, pain, crusting or bleeding of the skin spot.
  • A sore that does not heal or one that keeps coming back.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with a health care professional if you notice any changes in your skin that you worry.

Causes

Non-melanoma skin cancer develops when changes occur in the DNA of the skin cells. A cell's DNA contains the instructions that tell the cell what to do. In healthy cells, the DNA tells the cells to grow and multiply at a set rate. The DNA also tells the cells to die at a set time.

In cancer cells, changes in DNA to give different instructions. The changes tell cancer cells to grow and multiply quickly. Cancer cells can continue living when healthy cells would die. This makes too many cells. In non-melanoma skin cancer, cells grow out of control and can form a new tumor in the skin or cause changes in an existing spot on the skin.

Ultraviolet light, also called UV light, the cause of the majority of the changes in the DNA in the cells of the skin. The UV light can come from sunlight, sunlamps, and tanning beds. But exposure to the sun doesn't explain skin cancers that develop on skin that is exposed to sunlight. Other factors that may contribute to the risk and the development of non-melanoma skin cancer. The exact cause is not always clear.

Risk factors

Factors that may increase the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer include:

  • Being in the sun too. A lot of time in the sun or the use of tanning beds increases the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer. Getting serious burns which also increases the risk.
  • Skin burns easily. Any person of any skin color can get non-melanoma skin cancer. But it is more common in people who have low levels of melanin in the skin. Melanin is a substance that gives color to the skin. It also helps to protect the skin from harmful UV rays. People with brown or Black skin have more melanin than people with white skin. The risk of non-melanoma skin cancer is higher in people who have blond or red hair, has light-colored eyes, and freckle or sunburn easily.
  • A personal or family history of skin cancer. People who have had skin cancer before you have a higher risk of developing it again. Those with a family history of skin cancer may also have an increased risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer.
  • Medications to control the immune system. Medications that suppress the immune system increase the risk of non-melanoma skin cancers significantly. Medicines that work in this way are those which are used after an organ transplant to prevent rejection.
  • The radiation therapy. Radiation therapy to treat acne or other skin conditions can increase the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer in the previous treatment sites in the skin.
  • The increase of the age. The risk of some types of non-melanoma skin cancer increases as people get older.
  • Inherited syndromes that cause skin cancer. Some rare genetic diseases may increase the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer.

Diagnosis

Tests and procedures used to diagnose skin cancer non-melanoma of the skin include:

  • Physical exam. A member of your health care team questions about your health history, and looks at your skin for any signs of non-melanoma skin cancer.
  • The removal of a sample of tissue for testing, called a biopsy. A biopsy is a procedure to remove a sample of tissue for testing in a lab. A member of the health team uses a tool to cut, cut, or punch some or all of the area of the skin that looks out of the ordinary. The sample is analyzed in a laboratory to see if it is cancer, and if so, what type it is.

If the biopsy shows non-melanoma skin cancer, other tests may also be necessary to check if the cancer has spread beyond the skin.

Treatment

The treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer depends on the size, type and location of the cancer. How deep the cancer has grown in the skin also makes a difference. Small non-melanoma skin cancers on the surface of the skin may not require treatment beyond a skin biopsy that removes the entire growth.

If other treatment is necessary, the options may include:

  • Surgery. The surgery can often eliminate the non-melanoma skin cancer. In some situations, an area of healthy tissue around the tumor may also need to be removed.
  • Freezing. Some small, early stage of non-melanoma skin cancers can be destroyed by freezing them with liquid nitrogen. This is called cryosurgery.
  • The radiation therapy. Radiation therapy treats cancer with powerful rays of energy. Radiation therapy may be an option when the cancer cannot be completely removed during surgery.
  • Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy treats the cancer with strong medications. Cancer limited to the top layer of the skin, creams or lotions containing anti-cancer medicine can be put on the skin. The chemotherapy that going to the whole body can be used to treat skin cancers that have spread beyond the skin.
  • Photodynamic therapy. Photodynamic therapy is a two-step treatment that combines the energy of light with a drug called a photosensitizer. The photosensitizer kills cancerous and precancerous cells, when activated by light, usually from a laser.
  • Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy uses the body's immune system to kill cancer cells.

Preparing for your appointment

If you have any skin changes that worry you, start by making an appointment with a health care professional. If your healthcare provider suspects that you may have non-melanoma skin cancer, you may be referred to a specialist. Often this is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the skin, it is called a dermatologist.

Because appointments can be brief, it is a good idea to be prepared. The following information may help you prepare for an appointment.

What you can do

  • Write down your symptoms, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
  • Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
  • Make a list of all medications, vitamins or supplements you are taking.
  • Consider taking along a family member or friend. Sometimes it can be difficult to remember all information that is obtained during an appointment. Someone who goes with you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
  • Write questions to ask their health professional.

Questions for your doctor

Below are some basic questions to ask your health professional about the non-melanoma skin cancer. If you think of other questions during your appointment, make sure you ask these questions, too.

  • Do I have non-melanoma skin cancer? What kind?
  • How is this type of skin cancer different from other types?
  • Has my cancer spread?
  • What treatment do you recommend it?
  • What are the possible side effects of treatment?
  • I have a scar after the treatment?
  • Am I at risk of this condition comes back after treatment?
  • Am I at risk of other types of skin cancer?
  • How often should I follow up visits after the end of the treatment?
  • Are the members of my family at risk of skin cancer?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What sites do you recommend?

What to expect from your doctor

Be prepared to answer some basic questions, such as:

  • When did you first notice this change of skin?
  • It has grown or changed much since you found it?
  • Is the change of the skin painful? This causes discomfort?
  • Do you have other tumors of the skin, or sores, that worry you?
  • You have had skin cancer before?
  • How much of the sun as a child?
  • Have you ever used tanning beds?
  • How much are you on the sunshine now?
  • What to do to stay safe in the sun?
  • Have you ever taken medications that suppress the immune system?
  • Do you or do you smoke? How much?
Symptoms and treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer