Skin Cancer Risks and Types

Skin cancer occurs when cells in any of the skin's layers grow in ways that aren't normal. Although cancer may start in skin cells, it can spread to other parts of your body.

 

Skin cancer can become deadly if left untreated.

Skin cancer can cause:

• Disfigurement. Untreated skin cancers can grow deep into the skin and across wide areas. When this happens, it can cause life-long damage to bones, skin, and tissue.
• Advanced disease. When skin cancer spreads to other body parts, it can affect systemic function. For instance, skin cancer that spreads to the lungs can cause breathing problems. Skin cancers that spread are stage 3 and 4 cancers that may need more aggressive treatment after surgery.
• Death. Doctors expect nonmelanoma skin cancers to kill more than 4,000 people in the U.S. each year. Melanoma — a less common but more serious skin cancer — is even deadlier, with more than 7,000 people expected to die yearly.

You might be at higher risk for getting skin cancer if you:

• Are older than 50.
• Have a family history of cancer.
• Have had sunburns.
• Have light skin or light hair and eyes (your skin makes less melanin, which helps protect skin from the sun's UV rays).
• Have had a solid organ transplant.
• Use or have a history of using tanning beds.
• Spend time in the sun for long periods or don't use sunblock to protect against UV rays.

Melanoma is the deadliest, most aggressive form of skin cancer.

It can occur when cells deep in the skin that make pigment — called melanocytes — grow abnormally.

Some melanomas look like moles, and some form in moles that weren't previously cancerous (benign moles).

Without treatment, melanoma can spread to other parts of the body and cause advanced disease or even death. That's why it's crucial to know the signs and symptoms of melanoma.

Nonmelanoma cancers occur most often in places that get sun exposure. These cancers are less deadly than melanoma and are mostly curable when caught and treated early.

Nonmelanoma cancers typically form a growth or irregular patch on the skin. These growths may prove benign or malignant.

The most common nonmelanoma skin cancer types include:

• Basal cell carcinoma (BCC). BCC is the most common form of skin cancer, with doctors diagnosing about 3.6 million new cases in the U.S. each year. It forms in the basal cells, which make up the lining of the skin's outermost layer. Though BCC rarely spreads beyond its original site, it can invade nearby skin and damage bone and tissue.
• Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). SCC is the second most common form of skin cancer, with around 1.8 million new cases in the U.S. yearly. It starts in the squamous cells in the top layer of the skin's outer layer. It's often highly curable.