How Is Basal Cell Skin Cancer Treated?

Question: How Is Basal Cell Skin Cancer Treated?

Answer: Treatment of basal cell skin cancer (BCC) depends on the type, size, number, and location of the lesions. Although BCC doesn't typically spread to distant organs (metastasize), the lesions can cause disfigurement if not treated and so should be removed as soon as possible. The treatment required to remove them is much simpler, and less likely to cause significant scarring, when they are small.

Common methods to treat BCC include:

• Curettage and electrodessication - scraping and cauterizing the lesion
• Surgical excision - removal of the lesion and a portion of the surrounding skin
• Mohs surgery - a specialized surgical technique performed if the lesion is on the face, is recurrent, is large (a diameter greater than 2 cm), or is a certain type called "sclerotic" BCC
• Topical (skin-only) creams - an example is Aldara (generic name: imiquimod), which is FDA-approved for the treatment of certain types of BCCs not on the face
• more details on treatment options

If basal cell carcinoma is left untreated, the lesions can grow to be many inches across and eventually ulcerate (break through the skin) or damage the surrounding tissue or bone. (There have been cases reported of people losing an eye, nose, or ear due to untreated BCC.) Especially if the lesions occur on the face, BCCs should be removed quickly to prevent disfigurement. Unfortunately, regardless of how fast a lesion is removed, a person with a history of BCC has about a 40% greater likelihood of developing a second BCC than someone with no history.

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common but also one of the most preventable and curable of all cancers. Please see your physician promptly if you find any unusual lesions during your regular skin self-exams.

_Sources:

_{"Detailed Guide: Skin Cancer - Basal and Squamous Cell" American Cancer Society. 10 April 2009.}

_{"Basal and Squamous Cell Skin Cancers" National Comprehensive Cancer Network. 10 April 2009.}