1. Who can get basal
cell carcinoma?
Anyone over the age of 15 can get basal cell carcinoma.
It’s the most common form of skin cancer. It will affect around
800,000 people this year. It affects men more often than women and
is found most frequently on sun-exposed areas such as the face,
neck, hands, and trunk. One-third of all basal cell carcinomas are
found on the nose.
2. How serious is basal
cell carcinoma?
Basal cell carcinoma can be very serious. It can
invade the skin and spread to underlying structures. It is highly
unusual for a basal cell carcinoma to spread to distant parts of
the body. However, if a basal cell carcinoma is left untreated,
it can grow into nearby areas causing local destruction of the tissue.
3. What do basal cell
carcinomas look like?
Basal cell carcinomas usually appear as slowly growing, raised,
translucent, pearly nodules which, if untreated, may crust, ulcerate,
and sometimes bleed.
4. Can basal cell carcinoma
be cured?
If detected and treated early, there is a greater than 95 percent
cure rate for basal cell carcinoma.
5. Once removed, will
basal cell carcinoma recur?
If there is a recurrence of this disease, one third of the time
it will happen within three years of the first cancer, and half
the time within five years. Thirty-five to fifty percent of patients
diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma will develop a new skin cancer
within five years of the first diagnosis. If you’ve had a
basal cell carcinoma, regular periodic checkups are recommended.
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