Types of Skin Cancer

Basal Cell Carcinoma

basal cell carcinoma

Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cancer diagnosed in the United States. In fact, 1 out of 4 fair-skinned adults will develop a BCC in their lifetime. It most commonly appears as a pearly, pink bump on the skin that bleeds and never fully heals. BCC is a slow growing tumor that spreads locally, damaging tissue as it invades.  Rarely, BCC can metastasize to distant sites and be life threatening.

A majority of BCCs occur in sun exposed skin and are directly related to long term sun exposure.  Fair-skin individuals with a tendency towards sun burns are at highest risk.  BCC can also occur in skin that has not had significant sun exposure, although this is less common.

Treatment Options

At the Dermatology Center of Canyon County, we use a variety of treatment options dependent on the type, size, and location of the cancer. Some examples of treatment strategies we use include:

Mohs Micrographic Surgery: Offers the highest cure rate of any treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer while also minimizing the removal of surrounding healthy skin and leaving the smallest wound or scar possible.

Surgical Excision: Offers excellent cure rate and is the “gold standard” treatment for many tumors.

Electrodessication and Curettage (ED&C): This procedure involves scraping the tumor from the skin followed by cautery of the base. It is most commonly used for non-invasive forms of SCC.

Topical Medications: Topical immunomodulatory agents such as Imiquimod, or topical chemotherapy drugs such as 5-fluorouracil can be used in select tumors alone or in combination with surgery.

Radiation Therapy: Most frequently used for tumors not easily treated with surgery or other methods listed above.

Your DCCC provider will advise you of your best options for diagnosing and treating BCC.

Preventative Measures

The main preventative measure for BCC as well as for all forms of skin cancer is proper protection from the sun with adequate clothing, a hat and broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher on all sun-exposed skin.  Regular skin examinations with your dermatologist/dermatology provider enable early diagnosis and treatment of BCC and the best chance of cure.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous Carcinoma

SCC most often occurs on sun exposed skin and arises in the background of chronically sun damaged skin with the precancerous change known as actinic keratosis.  Fair-skinned individuals with a tendency to burn are at greatest risk.  Long term sun exposure, previous trauma (particularly burn injuries), radiation exposure, and a suppressed immune system are all risk factors for SCC.  

SCC most often presents as a firm, red, scaly bump on the skin that is often painful.  SCC’s can sometimes grow at an alarming rate, making prompt diagnosis and treatment essential.

Treatment Options

At the Dermatology Center of Canyon County, we use a variety of treatment options dependent on the type, size, and location of the cancer. Some examples of treatment strategies we use include:

Mohs Micrographic Surgery: Offers the highest cure rate of any treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer while also minimizing the removal of surrounding healthy skin and leaving the smallest wound or scar possible.

Surgical Excision: Offers excellent cure rate and is the “gold standard” treatment for many tumors.

Electrodessication and Curettage (ED&C): This procedure involves scraping the tumor from the skin followed by cautery of the base. It is most commonly used for non-invasive forms of SCC.

Topical Medications: Topical immunomodulatory agents such as Imiquimod, or topical chemotherapy drugs such as 5-fluorouracil can be used in select tumors alone or in combination with surgery.

Radiation Therapy: Most frequently used for tumors not easily treated with surgery or other methods listed above.

Your DCCC provider will advise you of your best options for diagnosing and treating SCC.

Preventative Measures

The main preventative measure for SCC as well for all forms of skin cancer is proper sun protection with adequate clothing, a hat and broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher on all sun-exposed skin.  Regular skin examinations with your dermatologist/dermatology provider enable early diagnosis and treatment of SCC and the best chance of cure.

Melanoma

Melanoma

Melanoma is a potentially life-threatening form of skin cancer. It accounts for only about 1% of all skin cancers diagnosed each year, but causes the majority of skin cancer-related deaths. Each year nearly 80,000 people in our country are diagnosed with melanoma and around 10,000 people are expected to die from it. Idaho is wonderful for all its sunshine and outdoor activities, but this comes with a cost. Idaho actually has the highest melanoma death rate in the country, leading to approximately 60 deaths each year.

Melanoma is a scary disease, but fortunately it is one of the only cancers that can be detected with something as simple as a brief skin exam. When detected early, survival rates are near 99%, but delays in diagnosis can drop that number significantly. Melanoma tends to develop in sun-exposed areas, but can develop anywhere including the bottom of your feet and in between your toes. That is why it is important to have a thorough examination by a trained medical professional if you are at higher risk for melanoma or if you have any concerning spots. This is also why you should be careful to examine your entire body about once a month for signs of skin cancer.

Anyone can develop melanoma, but people with the following characteristics are at higher risk:

  • Increased age
  • Family history of melanoma
  • Personal history of previous skin cancer
  • High number of total moles 
  • Atypical appearing moles
  • Fair skin
  • History of significant sun exposure or sun burns
  • Any tanning bed use

In order to help patients when looking at their own moles, the melanoma ABCDE mnemonic is commonly used. The criteria to identify moles of concern are displayed in a helpful graphic to the right.

If you have any spots that fit these criteria or have other significant risk factors for melanoma, please schedule an appointment right away. Any of our excellent medical providers will be happy to evaluate your moles.