Healthy skin is important for your overall well-being. From acne and psoriasis, to changing moles or a concern for skin cancer, we can help you feel and look your best. We are proud to provide the very best in medical, surgical and aesthetic dermatologic care for patients of any age and of any background. Our board-certified dermatologists have expertise in every area of dermatology.
Continuum of Care
With UNM Health Dermatology, you’re backed by a network of doctors and other specialties at our academic Health Sciences Center. Our providers work closely with specialists in oncology, plastic surgery, rheumatology, infectious diseases and otolaryngology. We pride ourselves in offering you the highest quality full-service care for your skin issue.
Our Clinics and Partners
Our team works closely at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center Cutaneous Oncology clinic to provide the best care in New Mexico for skin cancers, melanoma and side effects/problems related to other cancers or cancer treatments.
Our Multidisciplinary Vascular Anomalies Clinic (VAC) is the only focused clinical care team in New Mexico for children and adults with vascular tumors and birthmarks. We bring together over ten board-certified trained specialists who collaborate closely to provide you the most current and effective management for these rare vascular disorders.
Conditions We Treat
Abnormal or changing moles
Acne, cysts, and hidradenitis suppurativa
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
Eczema (atopic dermatitis), itchy skin, and contact dermatitis
Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)
Hair loss (alopecia)
Hemangiomas
Melanoma
Nail changes
Non-melanoma skin cancer (basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma)
Psoriasis
Rashes
Rosacea
Vascular malformations
Vitiligo
Warts (verruca)
Treatments and Services
Diagnostic Care
Biopsy to determine your diagnosis
Excision/surgery
Freezing (cryotherapy)
Incision and drainage
Injections
Laser therapy
Medication, including oral drugs and topical creams
Mohs micrographic surgery
Phototherapy
Aesthetic Services
Botulinum toxin (Botox) and filler injections
Chemical peels
Hair removal
Laser procedures
Leg vein and blood vessel treatment
Mole and cyst removal
Scar and keloid treatment
Skin tag removal
Treatment for age spots and aging skin/wrinkles
Learn more: In-depth from the National Cancer Institute
The content below is provided by the National Cancer Institute. Please contact the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center at 505-272-4946 for more information.
Screening is looking for cancer before a person has any symptoms. This can help find cancer at an early stage. When abnormaltissue or cancer is found early, it may be easier to treat. By the time symptoms appear, cancer may have begun to spread.
Scientists are trying to better understand which people are more likely to get certain types of cancer. They also study the things we do and the things around us to see if they cause cancer. This information helps doctors recommend who should be screened for cancer, which screening tests should be used, and how often the tests should be done.
It is important to remember that your doctor does not necessarily think you have cancer if he or she suggests a screening test. Screening tests are given when you have no cancer symptoms.
If a screening test result is abnormal, you may need to have more tests done to find out if you have cancer. These are called diagnostic tests.
General Information About Skin Cancer
Key Points
Skin cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the skin.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States.
Different factors increase or decrease the risk of skin cancer.
Skin cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the skin.
The skin is the body's largest organ. It protects against heat, sunlight, injury, and infection. Skin also helps control body temperature and stores water, fat, and vitamin D. The skin has several layers, but the two main layers are the epidermis (top or outer layer) and the dermis (lower or inner layer). Skin cancer begins in the epidermis, which is made up of three kinds of cells:
Melanocytes: Found in the lower part of the epidermis, these cells make melanin, the pigment that gives skin its natural color. When skin is exposed to the sun, melanocytes make more pigment and cause the skin to tan, or darken. Cancer that forms in melanocytes is called melanoma.
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Anatomy of the skin, showing the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States.
Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, also called nonmelanoma skin cancer or keratinocyte carcinoma, are the most common forms of skin cancer. Most basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers can be cured.
Melanoma is more likely to spread to nearby tissues and other parts of the body and can be harder to cure. Melanoma is easier to cure if the tumor is found before it spreads to the dermis (inner layer of skin). Melanoma is less likely to cause death when it is found and treated early.
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Anatomy of the skin, showing the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. Melanocytes are in the layer of basal cells at the deepest part of the epidermis.
In the United States, about 3 million people are diagnosed with nonmelanoma skin cancer each year. Rates of nonmelanoma skin cancer have been increasing, possibly because greater public awareness has led to higher rates of screening exams, self-exams, and detection of these skin cancers.
Since the early 2000s, the rate of melanoma cases in adults younger than 50 years has held steady in women, but decreased by about 1% per year in men. In adults aged 50 years and older, the rate of melanoma cases has held steady in men, but increased by about 3% per year in women in recent years. From 2013 to 2022, the number of deaths from melanoma decreased by about 3% per year in men and 4% per year in women.
The rate of melanoma cases in children and adolescents increased until 2001. However, between 2001 and 2022, the yearly rates of melanoma in these age groups decreased slightly.
Other PDQ summaries containing information related to skin cancer include:
Different factors increase or decrease the risk of skin cancer.
Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Anything that decreases your chance of getting a disease is called a protective factor.
For information about risk and protective factors for skin cancer, visit Skin Cancer Prevention.
Skin Cancer Screening
Key Points
Tests are used to screen for different types of cancer when a person does not have symptoms.
Screening for skin cancer may include examination by both the patient and the health care provider.
Screening tests for skin cancer are being studied in clinical trials.
Tests are used to screen for different types of cancer when a person does not have symptoms.
Scientists study screening tests to find those with the fewest harms and most benefits. Cancer screening trials also are meant to show whether early detection (finding cancer before it causes symptoms) helps a person live longer or decreases a person's chance of dying from the disease. For some types of cancer, the chance of recovery is better if the disease is found and treated at an early stage. There is not enough evidence to know if screening the population for skin cancer lowers the rates of death from the disease.
Screening for skin cancer may include examination by both the patient and the health care provider.
A visual self-exam by the patient and a clinical examination by the health care provider may be used to screen for skin cancer.
During a skin exam a doctor or nurse checks the skin for moles, birthmarks, or other pigmented areas that look abnormal in color, size, shape, or texture. Skin exams to screen for skin cancer have not been shown to decrease the number of deaths from the disease.
Regular skin checks by a doctor are important for people who have already had skin cancer. If you are checking your skin and find a worrisome change, you should report it to your doctor.
If an area on the skin looks abnormal, a biopsy is usually done. The doctor will remove as much of the suspicious tissue as possible with a localexcision. A pathologist then looks at the tissue under a microscope to check for cancer cells. Because it is sometimes difficult to tell if a skin growth is benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer), you may want to have the biopsy sample checked by a second pathologist.
Most melanomas in the skin can be seen by the naked eye. Usually, melanoma grows for a long time under the top layer of skin (the epidermis) but does not grow into the deeper layer (the dermis). This allows time for skin cancer to be found early. Melanoma is easier to cure if it is found before it spreads.
Mobile apps that evaluate skin lesions to detect skin cancer and malignant melanoma have been developed. However, these apps require further study in large-scale testing programs to find out if they are accurate and useful for skin cancer screening.
Screening tests for skin cancer are being studied in clinical trials.
Finding skin cancer does not always improve health or help you live longer.
False-negative test results can occur.
False-positive test results can occur.
A biopsy may cause scarring.
Screening tests have risks.
Decisions about screening tests can be difficult. Not all screening tests are helpful and most have risks. Before having any screening test, you may want to discuss the test with your doctor. It is important to know the risks of the test and whether it has been proven to reduce the risk of dying from cancer.
The risks of skin cancer screening tests include:
Finding skin cancer does not always improve health or help you live longer.
Screening may not improve your health or help you live longer if you have advancedskin cancer.
Some cancers never cause symptoms or become life-threatening, but if found by a screening test, the cancer may be treated. Treatments for cancer may have serious side effects.
False-negative test results can occur.
Screening test results may appear to be normal even though cancer is present. A person who receives a false-negative test result (one that shows there is no cancer when there really is) may delay getting medical care even if there are symptoms.
False-positive test results can occur.
Screening test results may appear to be abnormal even though no cancer is present. A false-positive test result (one that shows there is cancer when there really isn't) can cause anxiety and is usually followed by more tests (such as a biopsy), which also have risks.
A biopsy may cause scarring.
When a skin biopsy is done, the doctor will try to leave the smallest scar possible, but there is a risk of scarring and infection.
Talk to your doctor about your risk for skin cancer and your need for screening tests.
About This PDQ Summary
About PDQ
Physician Data Query (PDQ) is the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) comprehensive cancer information database. The PDQ database contains summaries of the latest published information on cancer prevention, detection, genetics, treatment, supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine. Most summaries come in two versions. The health professional versions have detailed information written in technical language. The patient versions are written in easy-to-understand, nontechnical language. Both versions have cancer information that is accurate and up to date and most versions are also available in Spanish.
PDQ is a service of the NCI. The NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH is the federal government’s center of biomedical research. The PDQ summaries are based on an independent review of the medical literature. They are not policy statements of the NCI or the NIH.
Purpose of This Summary
This PDQ cancer information summary has current information about skin cancer screening. It is meant to inform and help patients, families, and caregivers. It does not give formal guidelines or recommendations for making decisions about health care.
Reviewers and Updates
Editorial Boards write the PDQ cancer information summaries and keep them up to date. These Boards are made up of experts in cancer treatment and other specialties related to cancer. The summaries are reviewed regularly and changes are made when there is new information. The date on each summary ("Updated") is the date of the most recent change.
The information in this patient summary was taken from the health professional version, which is reviewed regularly and updated as needed, by the PDQ Screening and Prevention Editorial Board.
Clinical Trial Information
A clinical trial is a study to answer a scientific question, such as whether one treatment is better than another. Trials are based on past studies and what has been learned in the laboratory. Each trial answers certain scientific questions in order to find new and better ways to help cancer patients. During treatment clinical trials, information is collected about the effects of a new treatment and how well it works. If a clinical trial shows that a new treatment is better than one currently being used, the new treatment may become "standard." Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.
Clinical trials can be found online at NCI's website. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service (CIS), NCI's contact center, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).
Permission to Use This Summary
PDQ is a registered trademark. The content of PDQ documents can be used freely as text. It cannot be identified as an NCI PDQ cancer information summary unless the whole summary is shown and it is updated regularly. However, a user would be allowed to write a sentence such as “NCI’s PDQ cancer information summary about breast cancer prevention states the risks in the following way: [include excerpt from the summary].”
The best way to cite this PDQ summary is:
PDQ® Screening and Prevention Editorial Board. PDQ Skin Cancer Screening. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Updated <MM/DD/YYYY>. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/skin/patient/skin-screening-pdq. Accessed <MM/DD/YYYY>. [PMID: 26389182]
Images in this summary are used with permission of the author(s), artist, and/or publisher for use in the PDQ summaries only. If you want to use an image from a PDQ summary and you are not using the whole summary, you must get permission from the owner. It cannot be given by the National Cancer Institute. Information about using the images in this summary, along with many other images related to cancer can be found in Visuals Online. Visuals Online is a collection of more than 3,000 scientific images.
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Updated:
This content is provided by the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov)
The content below is provided by the National Cancer Institute. Please contact the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center at 505-272-4946 for more information.
Skin cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the skin.
Different types of cancer start in the skin.
Having a fair complexion and being exposed to sunlight are risk factors for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, and actinic keratosis often appear as a change in the skin.
Tests or procedures that examine the skin are used to diagnose basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options.
Skin cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the skin.
The skin is the body's largest organ. It protects against heat, sunlight, injury, and infection. Skin also helps control body temperature and stores water, fat, and vitamin D. The skin has several layers, but the two main layers are the epidermis (upper or outer layer) and the dermis (lower or inner layer). Skin cancer begins in the epidermis, which is made up of three kinds of cells:
Squamous cells: Thin, flat cells that form the top layer of the epidermis.
Basal cells: Round cells under the squamous cells.
Melanocytes: Cells that make melanin and are found in the lower part of the epidermis. Melanin is the pigment that gives skin its natural color. When skin is exposed to the sun, melanocytes make more pigment and cause the skin to darken.
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Anatomy of the skin showing the epidermis (including the squamous cell and basal cell layers), dermis, subcutaneous tissue, and other parts of the skin.
Skin cancer can occur anywhere on the body, but it is most common in skin that is often exposed to sunlight, such as the face, neck, and hands.
Melanoma is less common than basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. It is more likely to invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body.
This summary is about basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, and actinic keratosis.
Having a fair complexion and being exposed to sunlight are risk factors for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
Anything that increases a person's chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Not every person with one or more of these risk factors will develop skin cancer, and it will develop in people who don't have any known risk factors. Talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk.
Risk factors for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin include the following:
Being exposed to natural sunlight or artificial sunlight (such as from tanning beds) over long periods of time.
Having a fair complexion, which includes the following:
Fair skin that freckles and burns easily, does not tan, or tans poorly.
Blue, green, or other light-colored eyes.
Red or blond hair.
Although having a fair complexion is a risk factor for skin cancer, people of all skin colors can get skin cancer.
Older age is the main risk factor for most cancers. The chance of getting cancer increases as you get older.
Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, and actinic keratosis often appear as a change in the skin.
Not all changes in the skin are a sign of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or actinic keratosis. Check with your doctor if you notice any changes in your skin.
Signs of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin include the following:
A sore that does not heal.
Areas of the skin that are:
Raised, smooth, shiny, and look pearly.
Firm and look like a scar, and may be white, yellow, or waxy.
Raised and red or reddish-brown.
Scaly, bleeding, or crusty.
Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin occur most often in areas of the skin exposed to the sun, such as the nose, ears, lower lip, or top of the hands.
Signs of actinic keratosis include the following:
A rough, red, pink, or brown, scaly patch on the skin that may be flat or raised.
Cracking or peeling of the lower lip that is not helped by lip balm or petroleum jelly.
Actinic keratosis occurs most commonly on the face or the top of the hands.
Tests or procedures that examine the skin are used to diagnose basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
Skin exam: An exam of the skin for bumps or spots that look abnormal in color, size, shape, or texture.
Skin biopsy: All or part of the abnormal-looking growth is cut from the skin and viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer. There are four main types of skin biopsies:
Shave biopsy: A sterile razor blade is used to “shave-off” the abnormal-looking growth.
Punch biopsy: A special instrument called a punch or a trephine is used to remove a circle of tissue from the abnormal-looking growth.
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Punch biopsy. A sharp, hollow, circular instrument is used to remove a small, round piece of tissue from a lesion on the skin. The instrument is turned clockwise and counterclockwise to cut about 4 millimeters (mm) down to the layer of fatty tissue below the skin and remove the sample of tissue. Skin thickness is different on different parts of the body.
Treatment options for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin depend on the following:
The type of cancer.
The stage of the cancer, for squamous cell carcinoma.
The size of the tumor and what part of the body it affects.
The patient's general health.
Stages of Skin Cancer
Key Points
After squamous cell cancer of the skin has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the skin or to other parts of the body.
There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body.
Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body.
Staging for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin depends on where the cancer formed.
The following stages are used for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin that is on the head or neck but not on the eyelid:
Stage 0 (Carcinoma in situ)
Stage I
Stage II
Stage III
Stage IV
The following stages are used for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin on the eyelid:
Stage 0 (Carcinoma in situ)
Stage I
Stage II
Stage III
Stage IV
Treatment depends on the type of skin cancer or other skin condition diagnosed:
Basal cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma
Actinic keratosis
After squamous cell cancer of the skin has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the skin or to other parts of the body.
The process used to find out if cancer has spread within the skin or to other parts of the body is called staging. The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
Basal cell carcinoma of the skin rarely spreads to other parts of the body. Staging tests to check whether basal cell carcinoma of the skin has spread are usually not needed.
The following tests and procedures may be used in the staging process for squamous cell carcinoma of the skin:
CT scan (CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, such as the head, neck, and chest, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography.
Chest x-ray: An x-ray of the organs and bones inside the chest. An x-ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film, making a picture of areas inside the body.
PET scan (positron emission tomography scan): A procedure to find malignanttumorcells in the body. A small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into a vein. The PET scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body. Malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do. Sometimes a PET scan and CT scan are done at the same time.
Ultrasound exam: A procedure in which high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) are bounced off internal tissues, such as lymph nodes, or organs and make echoes. The echoes form a picture of body tissues called a sonogram. The picture can be printed to be looked at later. An ultrasound exam of the regional lymph nodes may be done for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
Eye exam with dilatedpupil: An exam of the eye in which the pupil is dilated (opened wider) with medicated eye drops to allow the doctor to look through the lens and pupil to the retina and optic nerve. The inside of the eye, including the retina and the optic nerve, is examined with a light.
Lymph node biopsy: The removal of all or part of a lymph node. A pathologist views the lymph node tissue under a microscope to check for cancer cells. A lymph node biopsy may be done for squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
There are three ways that cancer spreads in the body.
Tissue. The cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas.
Lymph system. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system. The cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body.
Blood. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood. The cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body.
Cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body.
When cancer spreads to another part of the body, it is called metastasis. Cancer cells break away from where they began (the primary tumor) and travel through the lymph system or blood.
Lymph system. The cancer gets into the lymph system, travels through the lymph vessels, and forms a tumor (metastatic tumor) in another part of the body.
Blood. The cancer gets into the blood, travels through the blood vessels, and forms a tumor (metastatic tumor) in another part of the body.
The metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if skin cancer spreads to the lung, the cancer cells in the lung are actually skin cancer cells. The disease is metastatic skin cancer, not lung cancer.
Many cancer deaths are caused when cancer moves from the original tumor and spreads to other tissues and organs. This is called metastatic cancer. This animation shows how cancer cells travel from the place in the body where they first formed to other parts of the body.
Staging for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin depends on where the cancer formed.
Staging for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the eyelid is different from staging for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma found on other areas of the head or neck. There is no staging system for basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma that is not found on the head or neck.
Surgery to remove the primary tumor and abnormal lymph nodes is done so that tissue samples can be studied under a microscope. This is called pathologic staging and the findings are used for staging as described below. If staging is done before surgery to remove the tumor, it is called clinical staging. The clinical stage may be different from the pathologic stage.
The following stages are used for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin that is on the head or neck but not on the eyelid:
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Nonmelanoma skin cancer of the head and neck (carcinoma in situ). Abnormal cells are found in the squamous cell or basal cell layer of the epidermis. These abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue.
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Stage II nonmelanoma skin cancer of the head and neck. The tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 4 centimeters.
Stage III
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Stage III nonmelanoma skin cancer of the head and neck (1). The tumor is (a) larger than 4 centimeters; or cancer has spread to (b) tissue covering the nerves below the dermis; or (c) below the subcutaneous tissue; or (d) the bone and the bone has minor damage. Cancer may have spread to one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor and the node is 3 centimeters or smaller, and cancer has not spread through to the outside covering of the lymph node (not shown).
or
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Stage III nonmelanoma skin cancer of the head and neck (2). The tumor is 4 centimeters or smaller. Cancer has spread to one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor and the node is 3 centimeters or smaller.
the tumor is larger than 4 centimeters, or cancer has spread to tissue covering the nerves below the dermis, or has spread below the subcutaneous tissue, or has spread to the bone and the bone has minor damage. Cancer may have also spread to one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor and the node is 3 centimeters or smaller, and cancer has not spread through to the outside covering of the lymph node; or
the tumor is 4 centimeters or smaller. Cancer has spread to one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor and the node is 3 centimeters or smaller.
Stage IV
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Stage IV nonmelanoma skin cancer of the head and neck (1). The tumor is any size. Cancer may have spread to the bone and the bone has minor damage, or to tissue covering the nerves below the dermis, or below the subcutaneous tissue. Cancer has spread to: (a) one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor, the node is 3 centimeters or smaller, and cancer has spread through to the outside covering of the lymph node; or (b) one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor, the node is larger than 3 centimeters but not larger than 6 centimeters, and cancer has not spread through to the outside covering of the lymph node; or (c) more than one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor, the nodes are 6 centimeters or smaller, and cancer has not spread through to the outside covering of the lymph nodes; or (d) one or more lymph nodes on the opposite side of the body as the tumor or on both sides of the body, the nodes are 6 centimeters or smaller, and cancer has not spread through to the outside covering of the lymph nodes.
or
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Stage IV nonmelanoma skin cancer of the head and neck (2). The tumor is any size and cancer has spread to: (a) one lymph node that is larger than 6 centimeters and cancer has not spread through to the outside covering of the lymph node; or (b) one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor, the affected node is larger than 3 centimeters, and cancer has spread through to the outside covering of the lymph node; or (c) one lymph node on the opposite side of the body as the tumor, the affected node is any size, and cancer has spread through to the outside covering of the lymph node; or (d) more than one lymph node on one or both sides of the body and cancer has spread through to the outside covering of the lymph nodes.
or
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Stage IV nonmelanoma skin cancer of the head and neck (3). The tumor is any size and cancer has spread to bone marrow or to bone, including the base of the skull, and the bone has been damaged; or cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lung.
the tumor is any size and cancer may have spread to the bone and the bone has minor damage, or to tissue covering the nerves below the dermis, or below the subcutaneous tissue. Cancer has spread to the lymph nodes as follows:
one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor, the affected node is 3 centimeters or smaller, and cancer has spread through to the outside covering of the lymph node; or
one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor, the affected node is larger than 3 centimeters but not larger than 6 centimeters, and cancer has not spread through to the outside covering of the lymph node; or
more than one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor, the affected nodes are 6 centimeters or smaller, and cancer has not spread through to the outside covering of the lymph nodes; or
one or more lymph nodes on the opposite side of the body as the tumor or on both sides of the body, the affected nodes are 6 centimeters or smaller, and cancer has not spread through to the outside covering of the lymph nodes.
the tumor is any size and cancer may have spread to tissue covering the nerves below the dermis, or below the subcutaneous tissue, or to bone marrow or to bone, including the bottom of the skull. Also:
cancer has spread to one lymph node that is larger than 6 centimeters and cancer has not spread through to the outside covering of the lymph node; or
cancer has spread to one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor, the affected node is larger than 3 centimeters, and cancer has spread through to the outside covering of the lymph node; or
cancer has spread to one lymph node on the opposite side of the body as the tumor, the affected node is any size, and cancer has spread through to the outside covering of the lymph node; or
cancer has spread to more than one lymph node on one or both sides of the body and cancer has spread through to the outside covering of the lymph nodes.
the tumor is any size and cancer has spread to bone marrow or to bone, including the bottom of the skull, and the bone has been damaged. Cancer may have also spread to the lymph nodes; or
cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lung.
The following stages are used for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin on the eyelid:
Stage 0 (Carcinoma in situ)
In stage 0, abnormalcells are found in the epidermis, usually in the basal cell layer. These abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue. Stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ.
Stage I
In stage I, cancer has formed. Stage I is divided into stages IA and IB.
Stage IA: The tumor is 10 millimeters or smaller and may have spread to the edge of the eyelid where the lashes are, to the connective tissue in the eyelid, or to the full thickness of the eyelid.
Stage IB: The tumor is larger than 10 millimeters but not larger than 20 millimeters and the tumor has not spread to the edge of the eyelid where the lashes are, or to the connective tissue in the eyelid.
the tumor is larger than 10 millimeters but not larger than 20 millimeters and has spread to the edge of the eyelid where the lashes are, to the connective tissue in the eyelid, or to the full thickness of the eyelid; or
the tumor is larger than 20 millimeters but not larger than 30 millimeters and may have spread to the edge of the eyelid where the lashes are, to the connective tissue in the eyelid, or to the full thickness of the eyelid.
In stage IIB, the tumor may be any size and has spread to the eye, eye socket, sinuses, tear ducts, or brain, or to the tissues that support the eye.
Stage IIIA: The tumor may be any size and may have spread to the edge of the eyelid where the lashes are, to the connective tissue in the eyelid, or to the full thickness of the eyelid, or to the eye, eye socket, sinuses, tear ducts, or brain, or to the tissues that support the eye. Cancer has spread to one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor and the node is 3 centimeters or smaller.
Stage IIIB: The tumor may be any size and may have spread to the edge of the eyelid where the lashes are, to the connective tissue in the eyelid, or to the full thickness of the eyelid, or to the eye, eye socket, sinuses, tear ducts, or brain, or to the tissues that support the eye. Cancer has spread to lymph nodes as follows:
one lymph node on the same side of the body as the tumor and the node is larger than 3 centimeters; or
more than one lymph node on the opposite side of the body as the tumor or on both sides of the body.
Stage IV
In stage IV, the tumor has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lung or liver.
Treatment depends on the type of skin cancer or other skin condition diagnosed:
Basal cell carcinoma
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Basal cell carcinoma. A skin cancer lesion that looks reddish brown and slightly raised (left panel) and a skin cancer lesion that looks like an open sore with a pearly rim (right panel).
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer. It usually occurs on areas of the skin that have been in the sun, most often the nose. Often this cancer appears as a raised bump that looks smooth and pearly. A less common type looks like a scar or it is flat and firm and may be skin-colored, yellow, or waxy. Basal cell carcinoma may spread to tissues around the cancer, but it usually does not spread to other parts of the body.
Squamous cell carcinoma
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Squamous cell carcinoma. A skin cancer lesion on the face that looks raised and crusty (left panel) and a skin cancer lesion on the leg that looks pink and raised (right panel).
Squamous cell carcinoma occurs on areas of the skin that have been damaged by the sun, such as the ears, lower lip, and the back of the hands. Squamous cell carcinoma may also appear on areas of the skin that have been sunburned or exposed to chemicals or radiation. Often this cancer looks like a firm red bump. The tumor may feel scaly, bleed, or form a crust. Squamous cell tumors may spread to nearby lymph nodes. Squamous cell carcinoma that has not spread can usually be cured.
Actinic keratosis
Actinic keratosis is a skin condition that is not cancer, but sometimes changes into squamous cell carcinoma. One or more lesions may occur in areas that have been exposed to the sun, such as the face, the back of the hands, and the lower lip. It looks like rough, red, pink, or brown scaly patches on the skin that may be flat or raised, or as a cracked and peeling lower lip that is not helped by lip balm or petroleum jelly. Actinic keratosis may disappear without treatment.
Treatment Option Overview
Key Points
There are different types of treatment for patients with basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, and actinic keratosis.
The following types of treatment are used:
Surgery
Radiation therapy
Chemotherapy
Photodynamic therapy
Immunotherapy
Targeted therapy
Chemical peel
Other drug therapy
New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials.
Treatment for skin cancer may cause side effects.
Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial.
Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment.
Follow-up tests may be needed.
There are different types of treatment for patients with basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, and actinic keratosis.
Different types of treatment are available for patients with basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, and actinic keratosis. Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are being tested in clinical trials. A treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer. When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.
The following types of treatment are used:
Surgery
One or more of the following surgical procedures may be used to treat basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or actinic keratosis:
Simple excision: The tumor, along with some of the normal tissue around it, is cut from the skin.
Mohs micrographic surgery: The tumor is cut from the skin in thin layers. During the procedure, the edges of the tumor and each layer of tumor removed are viewed through a microscope to check for cancer cells. Layers continue to be removed until no more cancer cells are seen. This type of surgery removes as little normal tissue as possible. It is often used to remove skin cancer on the face, fingers, or genitals and skin cancer that does not have a clear border.
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Mohs surgery. A surgical procedure to remove skin cancer in several steps. First, a thin layer of cancerous tissue is removed. Then, a second thin layer of tissue is removed and viewed under a microscope to check for cancer cells. More layers are removed one at a time until the tissue viewed under a microscope shows no remaining cancer. This type of surgery is used to remove as little normal tissue as possible and is often used to remove skin cancer on the face.
Shave excision: The abnormal area is shaved off the surface of the skin with a small blade.
Curettage and electrodesiccation: The tumor is cut from the skin with a curette (a sharp, spoon-shaped tool). A needle-shaped electrode is then used to treat the area with an electric current that stops the bleeding and destroys cancer cells that remain around the edge of the wound. The process may be repeated one to three times during the surgery to remove all of the cancer. This type of treatment is also called electrosurgery.
Cryosurgery: A treatment that uses an instrument to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue, such as carcinoma in situ. This type of treatment is also called cryotherapy.
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Cryosurgery. An instrument with a nozzle is used to spray liquid nitrogen or liquid carbon dioxide to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue.
Laser surgery: A surgical procedure that uses a laser beam (a narrow beam of intense light) as a knife to make bloodless cuts in tissue or to remove a surface lesion such as a tumor.
Dermabrasion: Removal of the top layer of skin using a rotating wheel or small particles to rub away skin cells.
Simple excision, Mohs micrographic surgery, curettage and electrodesiccation, and cryosurgery are used to treat basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. Laser surgery is rarely used to treat basal cell carcinoma. Simple excision, shave excision, curettage and desiccation, dermabrasion, and laser surgery are used to treat actinic keratosis.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the area of the body with cancer.
External radiation therapy is used to treat basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing.
Chemotherapy for basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, and actinic keratosis is usually topical (applied to the skin in a cream or lotion). Topical fluorouracil (5-FU) is used to treat basal cell carcinoma.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a cancer treatment that uses a drug and a certain type of light to kill cancer cells. A drug that is not active until it is exposed to light is injected into a vein or put on the skin. The drug collects more in cancer cells than in normal cells. For skin cancer, laser light is shined onto the skin and the drug becomes active and kills the cancer cells. Photodynamic therapy causes little damage to healthy tissue.
Photodynamic therapy is also used to treat actinic keratoses.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a treatment that uses the patient's immune system to fight cancer. Substances made by the body or made in a laboratory are used to boost, direct, or restore the body's natural defenses against cancer.
There are different types of immunotherapy used to treat skin cancer:
Immune checkpoint inhibitors block proteins called checkpoints that are made by some types of immune system cells, such as T cells, and some cancer cells. PD-1 is a protein on the surface of T cells that helps keep the body's immune responses in check. PD-L1 is a protein found on some types of cancer cells. When PD-1 attaches to PD-L1, it stops the T cell from killing the cancer cell. PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors keep PD-1 and PD-L1 proteins from attaching to each other. This allows the T cells to kill cancer cells.
Cemiplimab and pembrolizumab are types of PD-1 inhibitors used to treat squamous cell carcinoma of the skin that is locally advanced or has spread to other parts of the body.
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Immune checkpoint inhibitor. Checkpoint proteins, such as PD-L1 on tumor cells and PD-1 on T cells, help keep immune responses in check. The binding of PD-L1 to PD-1 keeps T cells from killing tumor cells in the body (left panel). Blocking the binding of PD-L1 to PD-1 with an immune checkpoint inhibitor (anti-PD-L1 or anti-PD-1) allows the T cells to kill tumor cells (right panel).
Immunotherapy uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer. This animation explains one type of immunotherapy that uses immune checkpoint inhibitors to treat cancer.
Interferon (by injection) may be used to treat squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
Topicalimiquimod therapy is an immune response modifier that may be used to treat some basal cell carcinomas and is applied to the skin as a cream.
Targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells.
Signal transduction inhibitor therapy: This treatment block signals that are passed from one molecule to another inside a cell. Blocking these signals may kill cancer cells. Vismodegib and sonidegib are signal transduction inhibitors used to treat basal cell carcinoma.
A chemical peel is a procedure used to improve the way certain skin conditions look. A chemical solution is put on the skin to dissolve the top layers of skin cells. Chemical peels may be used to treat actinic keratosis. This type of treatment is also called chemabrasion and chemexfoliation.
Other drug therapy
Retinoids (drugs related to vitamin A) are sometimes used to treat squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. Diclofenac and ingenol are topical drugs used to treat actinic keratosis.
New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials.
Information about clinical trials is available from the NCI website.
Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial.
For some patients, taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice. Clinical trials are part of the cancer research process. Clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment.
Many of today's standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials. Patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment.
Patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future. Even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments, they often answer important questions and help move research forward.
Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment.
Some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment. Other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better. There are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring (coming back) or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment.
Clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country. Information about clinical trials supported by NCI can be found on NCI’s clinical trials search webpage. Clinical trials supported by other organizations can be found on the ClinicalTrials.gov website.
Follow-up tests may be needed.
As you go through treatment, you will have follow-up tests or check-ups. Some tests that were done to diagnose or stage the cancer may be repeated to see how well the treatment is working. Decisions about whether to continue, change, or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests.
Some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended. The results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred (come back).
If basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma recur (come back), it is usually within 5 years of initial treatment. Talk to your doctor about how often you should have your skin checked for signs of cancer.
Treatment of recurrent basal cell carcinoma that is not metastatic may include the following:
Simple excision.
Mohs micrographic surgery.
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
Treatment of recurrent squamous cell carcinoma that is not metastatic may include the following:
Simple excision.
Mohs micrographic surgery.
Radiation therapy.
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
Physician Data Query (PDQ) is the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) comprehensive cancer information database. The PDQ database contains summaries of the latest published information on cancer prevention, detection, genetics, treatment, supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine. Most summaries come in two versions. The health professional versions have detailed information written in technical language. The patient versions are written in easy-to-understand, nontechnical language. Both versions have cancer information that is accurate and up to date and most versions are also available in Spanish.
PDQ is a service of the NCI. The NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH is the federal government’s center of biomedical research. The PDQ summaries are based on an independent review of the medical literature. They are not policy statements of the NCI or the NIH.
Purpose of This Summary
This PDQ cancer information summary has current information about the treatment of skin cancer. It is meant to inform and help patients, families, and caregivers. It does not give formal guidelines or recommendations for making decisions about health care.
Reviewers and Updates
Editorial Boards write the PDQ cancer information summaries and keep them up to date. These Boards are made up of experts in cancer treatment and other specialties related to cancer. The summaries are reviewed regularly and changes are made when there is new information. The date on each summary ("Updated") is the date of the most recent change.
The information in this patient summary was taken from the health professional version, which is reviewed regularly and updated as needed, by the PDQ Adult Treatment Editorial Board.
Clinical Trial Information
A clinical trial is a study to answer a scientific question, such as whether one treatment is better than another. Trials are based on past studies and what has been learned in the laboratory. Each trial answers certain scientific questions in order to find new and better ways to help cancer patients. During treatment clinical trials, information is collected about the effects of a new treatment and how well it works. If a clinical trial shows that a new treatment is better than one currently being used, the new treatment may become "standard." Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.
Clinical trials can be found online at NCI's website. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service (CIS), NCI's contact center, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).
Permission to Use This Summary
PDQ is a registered trademark. The content of PDQ documents can be used freely as text. It cannot be identified as an NCI PDQ cancer information summary unless the whole summary is shown and it is updated regularly. However, a user would be allowed to write a sentence such as “NCI’s PDQ cancer information summary about breast cancer prevention states the risks in the following way: [include excerpt from the summary].”
The best way to cite this PDQ summary is:
PDQ® Adult Treatment Editorial Board. PDQ Skin Cancer Treatment. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Updated <MM/DD/YYYY>. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/skin/patient/skin-treatment-pdq. Accessed <MM/DD/YYYY>. [PMID: 26389265]
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This content is provided by the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov)
The content below is provided by the National Cancer Institute. Please contact the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center at 505-272-4946 for more information.
Melanoma is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in melanocytes (cells that color the skin).
There are different types of cancer that start in the skin.
Melanoma can occur anywhere on the skin.
Unusual moles, exposure to sunlight, and health history can affect the risk of melanoma.
Signs of melanoma include a change in the way a mole or pigmented area looks.
Tests that examine the skin are used to diagnose melanoma.
After melanoma has been diagnosed, tests may be done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the skin or to other parts of the body.
Some people decide to get a second opinion.
Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options.
Melanoma is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in melanocytes (cells that color the skin).
The skin is the body's largest organ. It protects against heat, sunlight, injury, and infection. Skin also helps control body temperature and stores water, fat, and vitamin D. The skin has several layers, but the two main layers are the epidermis (upper or outer layer) and the dermis (lower or inner layer). Skin cancer begins in the epidermis, which is made up of three kinds of cells:
Squamous cells: Thin, flat cells that form the top layer of the epidermis.
Basal cells: Round cells under the squamous cells.
Melanocytes: Cells that make melanin and are found in the lower part of the epidermis. Melanin is the pigment that gives skin its natural color. When skin is exposed to the sun or artificial light, melanocytes make more pigment and cause the skin to darken.
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Anatomy of the skin, showing the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. Melanocytes are in the layer of basal cells at the deepest part of the epidermis.
There are different types of cancer that start in the skin.
There are two main forms of skin cancer: melanoma and nonmelanoma.
Melanoma is a rare form of skin cancer. It is more likely to invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body than other types of skin cancer. When melanoma starts in the skin, it is called cutaneous melanoma. Melanoma may also occur in mucous membranes (thin, moist layers of tissue that cover surfaces such as the lips). This summary is about cutaneous (skin) melanoma and melanoma that affects the mucous membranes.
Before age 50, rates of melanoma are higher in women than in men. After age 50, rates of melanoma are much higher in men. Melanoma is most common in adults, but it is sometimes found in children and adolescents. Learn more about Childhood Melanoma Treatment.
In men, melanoma is often found on the trunk (the area from the shoulders to the hips) or the head and neck. In women, melanoma forms most often on the arms and legs.
Unusual moles, exposure to sunlight, and health history can affect the risk of melanoma.
A risk factor is anything that increases the chance of getting a disease. Some risk factors for melanoma, such as tanning bed use, can be changed. However, risk factors also include things people cannot change, like their genetics and their family history. Learning about risk factors for melanoma can help you make changes that might lower your risk of getting it.
Risk factors for melanoma include:
having a fair complexion, which includes:
fair skin that freckles and burns easily, does not tan, or tans poorly
blue or green or other light-colored eyes
red or blond hair
being exposed to natural sunlight or artificial sunlight (such as from tanning beds)
being exposed to certain factors, such as radiation, solvents, vinyl chloride, and PCBs, in the environment (the air, your home or workplace, and your food and water)
having a history of many blistering sunburns, especially as a child or teenager
Tests that examine the skin are used to diagnose melanoma.
Melanoma is usually diagnosed with tests that examine the skin. The process used to find out if cancer cells have spread beyond the skin is called staging. To plan treatment, it is important to know the stage of the disease.
In addition to asking about your personal and family health history and doing a physical exam, your doctor may perform the following tests and procedures to find and diagnose melanoma:
Skin exam is an exam where a doctor or nurse checks the skin for moles, birthmarks, or other pigmented areas that look abnormal in color, size, shape, or texture.
Biopsy is the removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope to check for signs of cancer. It can be hard to tell the difference between a colored mole and an early melanoma lesion. Patients may want to have the sample of tissue checked by a second pathologist. If the abnormal mole or lesion is cancer, the sample of tissue may also be tested for certain gene changes. This may help to plan treatment. Learn about the type of information that can be found in a pathologist's report about the cells or tissue removed during a biopsy at Pathology Reports.
There are four main types of skin biopsies. The type of biopsy done depends on where the abnormal area formed and the size of the area.
Punch biopsy uses a special instrument called a punch or a trephine to remove a circle of tissue from the growth.
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Punch biopsy. A sharp, hollow, circular instrument is used to remove a small, round piece of tissue from a lesion on the skin. The instrument is turned clockwise and counterclockwise to cut about 4 millimeters (mm) down to the layer of fatty tissue below the skin and remove the sample of tissue. Skin thickness is different on different parts of the body.
After melanoma has been diagnosed, tests may be done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the skin or to other parts of the body.
The process used to find out whether cancer has spread within the skin or to other parts of the body is called staging. The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment.
For melanoma that is not likely to spread to other parts of the body or recur, more tests may not be needed. For melanoma that is likely to spread to other parts of the body or recur, the following tests and procedures may be done after surgery to remove the melanoma:
Lymph node mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy includes the removal of the sentinel lymph node during surgery. The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node in a group of lymph nodes to receive lymphatic drainage from the primary tumor. It is the first lymph node the cancer is likely to spread to from the primary tumor. A radioactive substance or blue dye is injected near the tumor. The substance or dye flows through the lymphducts to the lymph nodes. The first lymph node to receive the substance or dye is removed. A pathologist views the tissue under a microscope to look for cancer cells. If cancer cells are not found, it may not be necessary to remove more lymph nodes. Sometimes, a sentinel lymph node is found in more than one group of nodes.
CT scan (CAT scan) is a procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography. For melanoma, pictures may be taken of the neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis.
PET scan (positron emission tomography scan) is a procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body. A small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) is injected into a vein. The PET scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body. Malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) with gadolinium is a procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, such as the brain. A substance called gadolinium is injected into a vein. The gadolinium collects around the cancer cells so they show up brighter in the picture. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI).
Ultrasound exam is a procedure in which high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) are bounced off internal tissues, such as lymph nodes, or organs and make echoes. The echoes form a picture of body tissues called a sonogram. The picture can be printed to be looked at later.
Blood chemistry studies is a procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by organs and tissues in the body. For melanoma, the blood is checked for an enzyme called lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). High LDH levels may predict a poor response to treatment in people with metastatic disease.
The results of these tests are viewed together with the results of the tumor biopsy to find out the stage of the melanoma.
Some people decide to get a second opinion.
You may want to get a second opinion to confirm your melanoma diagnosis and treatment plan. If you seek a second opinion, you will need to get medical test results and reports from the first doctor to share with the second doctor. The second doctor will review the pathology report, slides, and scans. They may agree with the first doctor, suggest changes or another treatment approach, or provide more information about your cancer.
To learn more about choosing a doctor and getting a second opinion, see Finding Cancer Care. You can contact NCI's Cancer Information Service via chat, email, or phone (both in English and Spanish) for help finding a doctor, hospital, or getting a second opinion. For questions you might want to ask at your appointments, see Questions to Ask Your Doctor about Cancer.
Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options.
whether the cancer has certain mutations (changes) in a gene called BRAF
your age and general health
Stages of Melanoma
Key Points
The stage of melanoma depends on the thickness of the tumor, whether cancer has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body, and other factors.
The following stages are used for melanoma:
Stage 0 (melanoma in situ)
Stage I (also called stage 1) melanoma
Stage II (also called stage 2) melanoma
Stage III (also called stage 3) melanoma
Stage IV (also called stage 4) melanoma
Melanoma can recur (come back) after it has been treated.
Cancer stage describes the extent of cancer in the body, such as the size of the tumor, whether it has spread, and how far it has spread from where it first formed. It is important to know the melanoma stage to plan treatment.
There are several staging systems for cancer that describe the extent of the cancer. Melanoma staging usually uses the TNM staging system. The cancer may be described by this staging system in your pathology report. Based on the TNM results, a stage (I, II, III, or IV, also written as 1, 2, 3, or 4) is assigned to your cancer. When talking to you about your diagnosis, your doctor may describe the cancer as one of these stages.
The stage of melanoma depends on the thickness of the tumor, whether cancer has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body, and other factors.
To find out the stage of melanoma, the tumor is completely removed and nearby lymph nodes are checked for signs of cancer. The stage of the cancer is used to determine which treatment is best. Check with your doctor to find out which stage of cancer you have.
The stage of melanoma depends on:
The tumor's thickness, which is measured from the surface of the skin to the deepest part of the tumor.
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Whether the tumor is ulcerated (has broken through the skin).
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Whether cancer is found in lymph nodes by a physical exam, imaging tests, or a sentinel lymph node biopsy.
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Whether the lymph nodes are matted (joined together).
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Microsatellite tumors: Small groups of tumor cells that have spread to an area right beside or below the primary tumor.
In-transit metastases: Tumors that have spread to lymph vessels in the skin more than 2 centimeters away from the primary tumor, but not to the lymph nodes.
Whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lung, liver, brain, soft tissue (including muscle), digestive tract, and/or distant lymph nodes.
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The following stages are used for melanoma:
Stage 0 (melanoma in situ)
In stage 0, abnormal melanocytes are found in the epidermis. These abnormal melanocytes may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue. Stage 0 is also called melanoma in situ.
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Stage 0 melanoma. Abnormal melanocytes are found in the epidermis (outer layer of the skin). These abnormal melanocytes may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue.
Stage I (also called stage 1) melanoma
In stage I, cancer has formed. Stage I is divided into stages IA and IB.
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Millimeters (mm). A sharp pencil point is about 1 mm, a new crayon point is about 2 mm, and a new pencil eraser is about 5 mm.
Stage IA: The tumor is not more than 1 millimeter thick, with or without ulceration.
Stage IB: The tumor is more than 1 but not more than 2 millimeters thick, without ulceration.
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Stage I melanoma. In stage IA, the tumor is not more than 1 millimeter thick, with or without ulceration (a break in the skin). In stage IB, the tumor is more than 1 but not more than 2 millimeters thick, without ulceration. Skin thickness is different on different parts of the body.
Stage II (also called stage 2) melanoma
Stage II is divided into stages IIA, IIB, and IIC.
more than 2 but not more than 4 millimeters thick, without ulceration.
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Stage IIA melanoma. The tumor is more than 1 but not more than 2 millimeters thick, with ulceration (a break in the skin); OR it is more than 2 but not more than 4 millimeters thick, without ulceration. Skin thickness is different on different parts of the body.
more than 4 millimeters thick, without ulceration.
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Stage IIB melanoma. The tumor is more than 2 but not more than 4 millimeters thick, with ulceration (a break in the skin); OR it is more than 4 millimeters thick, without ulceration. Skin thickness is different on different parts of the body.
Stage IIC: The tumor is more than 4 millimeters thick, with ulceration.
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Stage IIC melanoma. The tumor is more than 4 millimeters thick, with ulceration (a break in the skin). Skin thickness is different on different parts of the body.
Stage III (also called stage 3) melanoma
Stage III is divided into stages IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, and IIID.
(2) The tumor is not more than 1 millimeter thick, with ulceration, or not more than 2 millimeters thick, without ulceration, and one of the following is true:
cancer is found in 1 to 3 lymph nodes by physical exam or imaging tests; or
there are microsatellite tumors, satellite tumors, and/or in-transit metastases on or under the skin.
or
(3) The tumor is more than 1 but not more than 2 millimeters thick, with ulceration, or more than 2 but not more than 4 millimeters thick, without ulceration, and one of the following is true:
cancer is found in 1 to 3 lymph nodes; or
there are microsatellite tumors, satellite tumors, and/or in-transit metastases on or under the skin.
Stage IIIC:
(1) It is not known where the cancer began, or the primary tumor can no longer be seen. Cancer is found:
in 4 or more lymph nodes, or in any lymph nodes that are matted together; or
in 2 or more lymph nodes and/or in any lymph nodes that are matted together. There are microsatellite tumors, satellite tumors, and/or in-transit metastases on or under the skin.
or
(2) The tumor is not more than 2 millimeters thick, with or without ulceration, or not more than 4 millimeters thick, without ulceration. Cancer is found:
in 1 lymph node and there are microsatellite tumors, satellite tumors, and/or in-transit metastases on or under the skin; or
in 4 or more lymph nodes, or in any lymph nodes that are matted together; or
in 2 or more lymph nodes and/or in any lymph nodes that are matted together. There are microsatellite tumors, satellite tumors, and/or in-transit metastases on or under the skin.
or
(3) The tumor is more than 2 but not more than 4 millimeters thick, with ulceration, or more than 4 millimeters thick, without ulceration. Cancer is found in 1 or more lymph nodes and/or in any lymph nodes that are matted together. There may be microsatellite tumors, satellite tumors, and/or in-transit metastases on or under the skin.
or
(4) The tumor is more than 4 millimeters thick, with ulceration. Cancer is found in 1 or more lymph nodes and/or there are microsatellite tumors, satellite tumors, and/or in-transit metastases on or under the skin.
Stage IIID: The tumor is more than 4 millimeters thick, with ulceration. Cancer is found:
in 4 or more lymph nodes, or in any lymph nodes that are matted together; or
In stage IV, the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lung, liver, brain, spinal cord, bone, soft tissue (including muscle), digestive tract, and/or distant lymph nodes. Cancer may have spread to places in the skin far away from where it first started.
Stage IV melanoma is also called metastatic melanoma. Metastatic cancer happens when cancer cells travel through the lymphatic system or blood and form tumors in other parts of the body. The metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if melanoma spreads to the lung, the cancer cells in the lung are actually melanoma cells. The disease is called metastatic melanoma, not lung cancer. Learn more in Metastatic Cancer: When Cancer Spreads.
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Stage IV melanoma. Cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the brain, spinal cord, lung, liver, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, bone, muscle, and/or distant lymph nodes. Cancer may have spread to places in the skin far away from where it first started.
Melanoma can recur (come back) after it has been treated.
Recurrent melanoma is melanoma that has come back after it has been treated. If melanoma comes back, it may come back in the area where it first started or in other parts of the body, such as the lungs or liver. Tests will help determine where in the body the cancer has returned. The type of treatment that you have for recurrent melanoma will depend on where it has come back.
There are different types of treatment for people with melanoma.
The following types of treatment are used:
Surgery
Chemotherapy
Radiation therapy
Immunotherapy
Targeted therapy
New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials.
Vaccine therapy
Treatment for melanoma may cause side effects.
Follow-up care may be needed.
There are different types of treatment for people with melanoma.
Different types of treatment are available for people with melanoma. Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are being tested in clinical trials. A treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for people with cancer. When clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment. People may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to people who have not started treatment.
The following types of treatment are used:
Surgery
Surgery to remove the tumor is the primary treatment for all stages of melanoma. A wide local excision is used to remove the melanoma and some of the normal tissue around it. Skin grafting (taking skin from another part of the body to replace the skin that is removed) may be done to cover the wound caused by surgery.
If only a small amount of cancer cells are found during a sentinel lymph node biopsy, active surveillance with ultrasound may be recommended instead of more surgery.
After the doctor removes all the melanoma that can be seen at the time of the surgery, some people may be given chemotherapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left. Chemotherapy given after the surgery to lower the risk that the cancer will come back is called adjuvant therapy.
Chemotherapy (also called chemo) uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body (systemic chemotherapy). When chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid, an organ, or a body cavity such as the abdomen, the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas (regional chemotherapy).
One type of regional chemotherapy is hyperthermicisolated limb perfusion. With this method, anticancer drugs go directly to the arm or leg the cancer is in. The flow of blood to and from the limb is temporarily stopped with a tourniquet. A warm solution with the anticancer drug is put directly into the blood of the limb. This gives a high dose of drugs to the area where the cancer is.
The way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated.
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the area of the body with cancer. External radiation therapy is used to treat melanoma and may also be used as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
Immunotherapy helps a person's immune system fight cancer. Your doctor may suggest biomarker tests to help predict your response to certain immunotherapy drugs. Learn more about Biomarker Testing for Cancer Treatment.
Immunotherapy drugs used to treat melanoma include:
Targeted therapy uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells. Your doctor may suggest biomarker tests to help predict your response to certain targeted therapy drugs. Learn more about Biomarker Testing for Cancer Treatment.
Targeted therapies used to treat melanoma include:
New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials.
Vaccine therapy
Vaccine therapy is a cancer treatment that uses a substance or group of substances to stimulate the immune system to find the tumor and kill it. Vaccine therapy is being studied in the treatment of stage III melanoma that can be removed by surgery.
As you go through treatment, you will have follow-up tests or check-ups. Some tests that were done to diagnose or stage the cancer may be repeated to see how well the treatment is working. Decisions about whether to continue, change, or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests.
Some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended. The results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred (come back).
Treatment of Stage 0 (Melanoma in Situ)
Treatment of stage 0 is usually surgery to remove the area of abnormal cells and a small amount of normal tissue around it.
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
Treatment of Stage I Melanoma
Treatment of stage I melanoma is usually surgery to remove the tumor and some of the normal tissue around it, with or without lymph node mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy.
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
Treatment of Stage III Melanoma That Can Be Removed By Surgery
Treatment of stage III melanoma that can be removed by surgery may include:
surgery to remove the tumor and some of the normal tissue around it, with or without skin grafting to cover the wound caused by surgery. Sometimes lymph node mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy are done to check for cancer in the lymph nodes at the same time as the surgery to remove the tumor. If cancer is found in the sentinel lymph node, more lymph nodes may be removed.
surgery followed by immunotherapy with nivolumab, pembrolizumab, or ipilimumab if there is a high risk that the cancer will come back
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
Treatment of Stage III Melanoma That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery, Stage IV Melanoma, and Recurrent Melanoma
Treatment of stage III melanoma that cannot be removed by surgery, stage IV melanoma, and recurrent melanoma may include:
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
Physician Data Query (PDQ) is the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) comprehensive cancer information database. The PDQ database contains summaries of the latest published information on cancer prevention, detection, genetics, treatment, supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine. Most summaries come in two versions. The health professional versions have detailed information written in technical language. The patient versions are written in easy-to-understand, nontechnical language. Both versions have cancer information that is accurate and up to date and most versions are also available in Spanish.
PDQ is a service of the NCI. The NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH is the federal government’s center of biomedical research. The PDQ summaries are based on an independent review of the medical literature. They are not policy statements of the NCI or the NIH.
Purpose of This Summary
This PDQ cancer information summary has current information about the treatment of melanoma. It is meant to inform and help patients, families, and caregivers. It does not give formal guidelines or recommendations for making decisions about health care.
Reviewers and Updates
Editorial Boards write the PDQ cancer information summaries and keep them up to date. These Boards are made up of experts in cancer treatment and other specialties related to cancer. The summaries are reviewed regularly and changes are made when there is new information. The date on each summary ("Updated") is the date of the most recent change.
The information in this patient summary was taken from the health professional version, which is reviewed regularly and updated as needed, by the PDQ Adult Treatment Editorial Board.
Clinical Trial Information
A clinical trial is a study to answer a scientific question, such as whether one treatment is better than another. Trials are based on past studies and what has been learned in the laboratory. Each trial answers certain scientific questions in order to find new and better ways to help cancer patients. During treatment clinical trials, information is collected about the effects of a new treatment and how well it works. If a clinical trial shows that a new treatment is better than one currently being used, the new treatment may become "standard." Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.
Clinical trials can be found online at NCI's website. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service (CIS), NCI's contact center, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).
Permission to Use This Summary
PDQ is a registered trademark. The content of PDQ documents can be used freely as text. It cannot be identified as an NCI PDQ cancer information summary unless the whole summary is shown and it is updated regularly. However, a user would be allowed to write a sentence such as “NCI’s PDQ cancer information summary about breast cancer prevention states the risks in the following way: [include excerpt from the summary].”
Images in this summary are used with permission of the author(s), artist, and/or publisher for use in the PDQ summaries only. If you want to use an image from a PDQ summary and you are not using the whole summary, you must get permission from the owner. It cannot be given by the National Cancer Institute. Information about using the images in this summary, along with many other images related to cancer can be found in Visuals Online. Visuals Online is a collection of more than 3,000 scientific images.
Disclaimer
The information in these summaries should not be used to make decisions about insurance reimbursement. More information on insurance coverage is available on Cancer.gov on the Managing Cancer Care page.
Contact Us
More information about contacting us or receiving help with the Cancer.gov website can be found on our Contact Us for Help page. Questions can also be submitted to Cancer.gov through the website’s E-mail Us.
Updated:
This content is provided by the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov)
The content below is provided by the National Cancer Institute. Please contact the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center at 505-272-4946 for more information.
Cancer prevention is action taken to lower the chance of getting cancer. By preventing cancer, the number of new cases of cancer in a group or population is lowered. Hopefully, this will lower the number of deaths caused by cancer.
To prevent new cancers from starting, scientists look at risk factors and protective factors. Anything that increases your chance of developing cancer is called a cancer risk factor; anything that decreases your chance of developing cancer is called a cancer protective factor.
Some risk factors for cancer can be avoided, but many cannot. For example, both smoking and inheriting certain genes are risk factors for some types of cancer, but only smoking can be avoided. Regular exercise and a healthy diet may be protective factors for some types of cancer. Avoiding risk factors and increasing protective factors may lower your risk, but it does not mean that you will not get cancer.
Different ways to prevent cancer are being studied.
General Information About Skin Cancer
Key Points
Skin cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the skin.
There are several types of skin cancer.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States.
Skin cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the skin.
The skin is the body's largest organ. It protects against heat, sunlight, injury, and infection. Skin also helps control body temperature and stores water, fat, and vitamin D. The skin has several layers, but the two main layers are the epidermis (upper or outer layer) and the dermis (lower or inner layer).
The epidermis is made up of three kinds of cells:
Squamous cells are the thin, flat cells that make up most of the epidermis.
Basal cells are the round cells under the squamous cells.
Melanocytes are found throughout the lower part of the epidermis. They make melanin, the pigment that gives skin its natural color. When skin is exposed to the sun, melanocytes make more pigment, causing the skin to tan, or darken.
Enlarge
Anatomy of the skin, showing the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. Melanocytes are in the layer of basal cells at the deepest part of the epidermis.
Other PDQ summaries containing information related to skin cancer include:
The most common types of skin cancer are squamous cell carcinoma, which forms in the squamous cells, and basal cell carcinoma, which forms in the basal cells. Melanoma, which forms in the melanocytes, is a less common type of skin cancer that grows and spreads quickly.
Skin cancer can occur anywhere on the body, but it is most common in areas exposed to sunlight, such as the face, neck, hands, and arms.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States.
Nonmelanoma skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma) is the most common type of skin cancer in the United States. New cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer appear to be increasing every year. Nonmelanoma skin cancer can usually be cured.
On the other hand, melanoma is more likely to spread to nearby tissues and other parts of the body and can be harder to cure. Finding and treating melanoma skin cancer early may help prevent death from melanoma.
Skin Cancer Prevention
Key Points
Avoiding risk factors and increasing protective factors may help prevent cancer.
Being exposed to ultraviolet radiation is a risk factor for skin cancer.
Treatment of sun-damaged skin to prevent skin cancer:
Topical fluorouracil
It is not known if the following lower the risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer:
Sunscreen use and avoiding sun exposure
Chemopreventive agents
It is not known if the following lower the risk of melanoma:
Sunscreen
Counseling and protecting the skin from the sun
Cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to prevent cancer.
New ways to prevent skin cancer are being studied in clinical trials.
Avoiding risk factors and increasing protective factors may help prevent cancer.
Avoiding cancerrisk factors may help prevent certain cancers. Risk factors include smoking, having overweight, and not getting enough exercise. Increasing protective factors such as quitting smoking and exercising may also help prevent some cancers. Talk to your doctor or other health care professional about how you might lower your risk of cancer.
Being exposed to ultraviolet radiation is a risk factor for skin cancer.
Some studies suggest that being exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and the sensitivity of a person's skin to UV radiation are risk factors for skin cancer. UV radiation is the name for the invisible rays that are part of the energy that comes from the sun. Sunlamps and tanning beds also give off UV radiation.
having a family history of unusual moles (atypical nevus syndrome)
having a family or personal history of melanoma
being White
Although having a fair complexion is a risk factor for nonmelanoma and melanoma skin cancer, people of all skin colors can get skin cancer.
Treatment of sun-damaged skin to prevent skin cancer:
Topical fluorouracil
A study showed that topicalfluorouracil applied on sun-damaged skin daily for up to 4 weeks prevented new actinic keratoses from developing. The areas treated with topical fluorouracil had a lower risk of developing into squamous cell carcinoma that would require surgery. The lower risk of developing into squamous cell carcinoma was seen for 1 year after treatment. Topical fluorouracil did not, however, change the risk of developing basal cell carcinoma.
It is not known if the following lower the risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer:
Sunscreen use and avoiding sun exposure
It is not known if nonmelanoma skin cancer risk is decreased by staying out of the sun, using sunscreens, or wearing protective clothing when outdoors. This is because not enough studies have been done to prove this.
Sunscreen has been shown to prevent sunburns and actinic keratoses that may become squamous cell carcinoma, and to decrease the signs and symptoms of existing actinic keratoses.
The harms of using sunscreen are likely to be small and include allergic reactions to skin creams and lower levels of vitamin D made in the skin because of less sun exposure. It is also possible that when a person uses sunscreen to avoid sunburn, they may spend too much time in the sun and be exposed to harmful UV radiation.
Although protecting the skin and eyes from the sun has not been proven to lower the chance of getting skin cancer, skin experts suggest:
using sunscreen that protects against UV radiation
limiting time in the sun, especially when the sun is at its strongest
wearing long sleeve shirts, long pants, sun hats, and sunglasses when outdoors
Chemopreventive agents
Chemoprevention is the use of drugs, vitamins, or other agents to try to reduce the risk of cancer. The following chemopreventive agents have been studied to find whether they lower the risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer:
Beta carotene
Studies of beta carotene (taken as a supplement in pills) have not shown that it prevents nonmelanoma skin cancer from forming or coming back.
Isotretinoin and related retinoids
Retinoids are vitamin A or vitamin A-like compounds that are applied to the skin or taken by mouth. Isotretinoin is a type of retinoid being studied in the prevention and treatment of certain cancers.
High doses of isotretinoin taken by mouth have been shown to prevent new skin cancers in people with xeroderma pigmentosum. Isotretinoin cream has not been shown to prevent nonmelanoma skin cancers from coming back in people previously treated for nonmelanoma skin cancers. These treatments can cause serious side effects.
Selenium
Studies have shown that selenium (taken in brewer's yeast tablets) does not lower the risk of basal cell carcinoma, and may increase the risk of squamous cell carcinoma.
Celecoxib
A study of celecoxib, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), in people with actinic keratosis and a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer found those who took celecoxib had slightly lower rates of recurrent nonmelanoma skin cancers. Celecoxib may cause serious heart and blood vessel side effects.
Alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO)
A study of alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) in people with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer showed that those who took DFMO had lower rates of basal cell carcinomas than those who took a placebo, but no difference in squamous cell carcinoma rates. However, those who took DFMO had greater hearing loss than the placebo group, leading to a higher rate of people discontinuing this drug.
Nicotinamide (vitamin B3)
Studies have shown that nicotinamide (vitamin B3) could help prevent new actinic keratoses lesions from forming in people who had four or fewer actinic lesions before taking nicotinamide. However, one study also showed an increased incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancers in people months after they were treated with nicotinamide. More studies are needed to find out if nicotinamide prevents nonmelanoma skin cancer from forming or coming back.
It is not known if the following lower the risk of melanoma:
Sunscreen
It has not been proven that using sunscreen to prevent sunburn can protect against melanoma caused by UV radiation. Other risk factors such as having skin that burns easily, having many benign (noncancerous) moles, or having atypical nevi may also play a role in whether melanoma forms.
Counseling and protecting the skin from the sun
Studies show that people who receive counseling or information about avoiding sun exposure improve their sun protective habits. These studies show mixed effects on reducing sunburns and do not show whether skin cancers are reduced.
Harms of avoiding sun exposure may include mood disorders, sleep disturbances, higher blood pressure, and impaired vitamin Dmetabolism.
Cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to prevent cancer.
Cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to lower the risk of developing certain types of cancer. Some cancer prevention trials include healthy people who may or may not have an increased risk of cancer. Other prevention trials include people who have had cancer and are trying to prevent recurrence or a second cancer.
The purpose of some cancer prevention clinical trials is to find out whether actions people take can prevent cancer. These may include eating fruits and vegetables, exercising, quitting smoking, or taking certain medicines, vitamins, minerals, or food supplements.
New ways to prevent skin cancer are being studied in clinical trials.
Physician Data Query (PDQ) is the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) comprehensive cancer information database. The PDQ database contains summaries of the latest published information on cancer prevention, detection, genetics, treatment, supportive care, and complementary and alternative medicine. Most summaries come in two versions. The health professional versions have detailed information written in technical language. The patient versions are written in easy-to-understand, nontechnical language. Both versions have cancer information that is accurate and up to date and most versions are also available in Spanish.
PDQ is a service of the NCI. The NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIH is the federal government’s center of biomedical research. The PDQ summaries are based on an independent review of the medical literature. They are not policy statements of the NCI or the NIH.
Purpose of This Summary
This PDQ cancer information summary has current information about skin cancer prevention. It is meant to inform and help patients, families, and caregivers. It does not give formal guidelines or recommendations for making decisions about health care.
Reviewers and Updates
Editorial Boards write the PDQ cancer information summaries and keep them up to date. These Boards are made up of experts in cancer treatment and other specialties related to cancer. The summaries are reviewed regularly and changes are made when there is new information. The date on each summary ("Updated") is the date of the most recent change.
The information in this patient summary was taken from the health professional version, which is reviewed regularly and updated as needed, by the PDQ Screening and Prevention Editorial Board.
Clinical Trial Information
A clinical trial is a study to answer a scientific question, such as whether one treatment is better than another. Trials are based on past studies and what has been learned in the laboratory. Each trial answers certain scientific questions in order to find new and better ways to help cancer patients. During treatment clinical trials, information is collected about the effects of a new treatment and how well it works. If a clinical trial shows that a new treatment is better than one currently being used, the new treatment may become "standard." Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial. Some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment.
Clinical trials can be found online at NCI's website. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service (CIS), NCI's contact center, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).
Permission to Use This Summary
PDQ is a registered trademark. The content of PDQ documents can be used freely as text. It cannot be identified as an NCI PDQ cancer information summary unless the whole summary is shown and it is updated regularly. However, a user would be allowed to write a sentence such as “NCI’s PDQ cancer information summary about breast cancer prevention states the risks in the following way: [include excerpt from the summary].”
The best way to cite this PDQ summary is:
PDQ® Screening and Prevention Editorial Board. PDQ Skin Cancer Prevention. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Updated <MM/DD/YYYY>. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/skin/patient/skin-prevention-pdq. Accessed <MM/DD/YYYY>. [PMID: 26389434]
Images in this summary are used with permission of the author(s), artist, and/or publisher for use in the PDQ summaries only. If you want to use an image from a PDQ summary and you are not using the whole summary, you must get permission from the owner. It cannot be given by the National Cancer Institute. Information about using the images in this summary, along with many other images related to cancer can be found in Visuals Online. Visuals Online is a collection of more than 3,000 scientific images.
Disclaimer
The information in these summaries should not be used to make decisions about insurance reimbursement. More information on insurance coverage is available on Cancer.gov on the Managing Cancer Care page.
Contact Us
More information about contacting us or receiving help with the Cancer.gov website can be found on our Contact Us for Help page. Questions can also be submitted to Cancer.gov through the website’s E-mail Us.
Updated:
This content is provided by the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov)
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