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Basal
Cell Carcinoma: What it Looks Like
Basal cell carcinoma is the
most common form of skin cancer worldwide, accounting for 80% of all
diagnosed skin cancer cases.
Where Occurs
Basal cell carcinoma appears most often on sun-exposed areas, such
as the as the face, scalp, ears, neck, chest, hands, back, and legs.
Though rare, basal cell carcinoma can occur on skin that has been
protected from the sun.
Warning Signs
As the photographs below show, basal cell carcinoma can take several
forms:
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Small, translucent growth with rolled
edges that may be pigmented (brown) or have small blood vessels on
the surface
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Open sore that bleeds, heals, and then
repeats the cycle
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Cluster of slow-growing, shiny pink or
red lesions that are slightly scaly and bleed easily
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Flat or slightly depressed lesion that
feels hard to the touch; may be white or yellow and have indistinct
borders
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Waxy scar that is skin-colored, white,
or yellow
Diagnosed Cases of Basal Cell Carcinoma
Patients all have nodular basal cell
carcinoma, a type of basal cell carcinoma
that appears as a
well-defined growth with rolled edges. It may be pigmented
or
translucent with visible blood vessels. Also known as
cystic
basal cell carcinoma, it usually appears on the face.
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An enlarged
image of a basal cell carcinoma that appeared as a sore that
never fully heals.
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This
elderly patient has superficial basal cell carcinoma, a
type of basal cell carcinoma that usually appears as multiple,
slow-growing, shiny pink or red, slightly scaly lesions that
most often develop on the trunk and shoulders. |
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This poorly defined
firm white area of skin shows a tumor that involves much of the
patient’s cheek.
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This type of basal cell carcinoma is called sclerosing basal
cell carcinoma, which typically appears as a thickened,
skin-colored scar.
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(Photos used with
permission of the American Academy of Dermatology
National
Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides) |
Contact a Dermatologist
If you have a sore that does not heal or a lesion similar to any
shown in these photographs, see a dermatologist. Early treatment by
a dermatologist produces a cure rate of 95%.
Left untreated, basal cell carcinoma can become large and
disfiguring as it destroys nearby tissue. While the cancer very
rarely spreads, the surgery required to remove the tumor can result
in the loss of an eye, ear, or nose.
All
content solely developed by the American Academy of Dermatology |
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Basal cell carcinoma
develops in more than 1 million people annually in the
United States.
American Academy of
Dermatology |
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