TYPES OF SKIN CANCER

PHOTO DAMAGE/SKIN CANCERS

There are two types of chronic skin disorders that can result from long-term exposure to UV light and they are the following:

  1. Cancerous/malignant
  2. Noncancerous/nonmalignant

5 ABCs OF SKIN CANCER

  1. Asymmetry
  2. Border irregularity
  3. Color variation
  4. Diameter
  5. Elevation

TYPE I: BASAL CELL CARCINOMA

It will have a varied appearance and is found most often in exposed areas.

  • NODULOCYSTIC – most common form of basal cell carcinoma and is most often found on the face as pearly, translucent nodules and is generally tense and shiny and it may have a brownish-black pigment
  • ULCERATIVE – raised, rolled margins with an ulcerative center that may ooze and is usually found around the nose
  • PIGMENTED – nodular with many pigmented areas or could be fully pigmented
  • SUPERFICIAL – commonly seen on trunk or limbs and could be slightly raised with a red, scaly appearance that resembles Psoriasis with well-defined borders
  • MORPHOEIC – has a thick, pale firm patch with tiny pearly papules at the border

TYPE II: SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

It is the second most common type of skin cancer and is found mostly on the face, hands or lower legs. It will have a raised ulceration with rolled edges that are soft and may easily crumble, or may ooze or bleed.

  • HYPERKERATOSIS – will be crumbly or form a horn

TYPE III: MELANOMAS

This is the most dangerous type of skin cancer with the most potential to kill and can spread through the nerve it is attached to and can also reoccur somewhere else in the body. This cancer has pigmented lesions that are not equally round or could be oval with notching or with scalloping that has poorly defined margins and could be in shades of brown, tan, white or blue, black. The shapes are larger than 6mm (pencil diameter.)

  • LENTIGO MALIGNA – 30% of all melanoma cases; dark macule (flat spot) edges poorly defined with an irregular color of tan, brown or black
  • SUPERFICIAL SPREADING – 50% of all melanoma cases; irregular edges with a blurred pigment of browns, black or white; rim can have pink inflammation
  • NODULAR – 20% of all melanoma cases; this is the most malignant form and starts as a papule or nodule that bleeds easily; has well defined irregular edges that are blue, black or brown and grows vertically rather than horizontally; it is highly invasive and affects females 2:1 over males
  • ACRAL LENTIGNOUS – dark, pigmented, flat nodular lesion that is commonly found on palms, soles or under nails

Cheers to your beautiful skin!

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