Basal Cell Cancer

Basal Cell Cancer - Also known as basal cell carcinoma, or BCC, basal cell cancer is a type of skin cancer that arises from the basal cells (small cells found in the outer layer of the skin). Basal cell cancer is the most common (yet least lethal) form of skin cancer, with nearly one million new cases developing each year in the United States. About three out of four skin cancers are basal cell cancers.

While it does not tend to spread (metastasize) to distant parts of the body, basal cell cancer can be disfiguring if left untreated. Common symptoms of basal cell cancer can include the following: an open, non-healing sore, a reddish patch that may itch and/or hurt, a smooth growth with a dimple in the center that may show blood vessels in time, a shiny bump that can vary in color, and/or a yellowish or whitish scarlike growth.

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