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What is it? • The Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer, affecting approximately two million Americans each year. This is the most common type of all cancers. More than one out of every three new cancers are skin cancers, and the majority are basal cell carcinomas. Basal cells line in the deepest part of the epidermis. (top skin layer) • (BCC) appears as a waxy bump, or as a scar that won’t heal. Although it can be in different forms, Basal cell carcinoma occurs most often on areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun, such as your face and neck. • Most (BCC) are thought to be caused by long-term exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight. These carcinomas are usually slow-growing tumors that rarely spread.
Causes The causes of the basal cell carcinoma is: • Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight • To much exposure from the sunlight which causes red, shiny, bumps, forming on usually the neck, back, ears, shoulders and scalp • Open sores that resist healing
Effects • (BCC) are easily treated in early stages. The larger it grows more treatment is needed. This skin cancer seldom spreads to vital organs, it can damage surrounding tissue, sometimes causing considerable destruction some basal cell carcinomas are more aggressive than others. • If it don’t get treated in it’s early stage it can become major. Such as causing tumors and spreading all over the body. When it gets worse it can cause main sores on the neck, back, shoulders, and rarely other places that have not been exposed to as much sunlight. • It can cause major damage to skin tissue, but not life threating
Treatment Include • Surgical removal • Radiotherapy • Cryotherapy (freezing) • Phototherapy (light therapy) • Creams Surgery and radiotherapy appear to be most effective treatment for the basal cell carcinoma. Especially for the facial area.
Symptoms • An Open Sore that bleeds, oozes, or crusts and when the sore does heal it seems to bleed easily. • A Non-healing Sore is a very common symptom that most people have of the basal cell carcinoma. • A Reddish Patch or irritated area, most often occurring on the face, chest, shoulders, arms or legs. Sometimes itching or even hurting, at other times it will have no noticeable discomforts. • A Shiny Bump that is pearly or translucent and is often pink, red or white. The bump can be tan, black or brown, especially in dark-haired people, and can be confused with a mole. • A Pink Growth with a slightly elevated rolled border and a crusted indentation in the center. As the growth slowly enlarges, tiny blood vessels may develop on the surface. • A Scar-like Area which is white, yellow or waxy. The skin itself appears shiny and taut. This warning sign can indicate the presence of small roots, which make the tumor larger than it appears on the surface.
Forms of The Basal Cell Carcinoma: Open Sore Scar Pink Growth Shiny Bump Reddish Patch
Who gets it? Between 40 and 50 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will have skin cancer at least once. 1-18 22.73 percent 19-40 46.53 percent 41-59 73.7 percent 60-78 100 percent Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cancer in Caucasians, Hispanics, Chinese, Japanese, and other Asian populations
Websites: http://www.skincancer.org/Skin-Cancer-Facts/ http://www.skincancer.org/Basal-Cell-Carcinoma/ http://www.skincancer.org/basal-cell-carcinoma.html http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/basal-cell-carcinoma/DS00925 http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://dermatology.cdlib.org/95/case_presentations/basal/5.jpg&imgrefurl=http://dermatology.cdlib.org/95/case_presentations/basal/ribeiro.html&usg=__4UNmxSRiXz5qVhAPxzvVo5PNh58=&h=768&w=1024&sz=119&hl=en&start=15&zoom=1&tbnid=txFO3YeMSxI0UM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=150&ei=OHuDTsXBFKbJsQK0yOSZDw&prev=/search%3Fq%3DBasal%2BCell%2BCarcinoma%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1 http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://health.uml.edu/thc/HealthIssues/SkinCancerSW/Basal.jpg&imgrefurl=http://health.uml.edu/thc/HealthIssues/SkinCancerSW/Skin%2520Cancer.html&usg=__yQkxbCErkg6k8q9E-cz1TEmeLG4=&h=335&w=493&sz=55&hl=en&start=14&zoom=1&tbnid=ciuF8r3sj1LEZM:&tbnh=88&tbnw=130&ei=W32DTqL-EYrDsQLG_YGDDw&prev=/search%3Fq%3DBasal%2BCell%2BCarcinoma%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1