How Do You Treat Skin Cancer?

How Do You Treat Skin Cancer
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).

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Can skin cancer be cured?

Photodynamic therapy – In this therapy, your skin is coated with medication and a blue or red fluorescent light then activates the medication. destroys precancerous cells while leaving normal cells alone. In most cases, skin cancer can be prevented. The best way to protect yourself is to avoid too much and sunburns.

Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a skin protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. Broad-spectrum sunscreens protect against both UV-B and UV-A rays. Apply the sunscreen 30 minutes before you go outside. Wear sunscreen every day, even on cloudy days and during the winter months. Wear hats with wide brims to protect your face and ears. Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants to protect your arms and legs. Look for clothing with an ultraviolet protection factor label for extra protection. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes. Look for glasses that block both UV-B and UV-A rays. Use a lip balm with sunscreen. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Avoid tanning beds. If you want a tanned look, use a spray-on tanning product. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist if any of the medications you take make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Some medications known to make your skin more sensitive to the sun include tetracycline and fluoroquinolone antibiotics, tricyclic antibiotics, the antifungal agent griseofulvin, and statin cholesterol-lowering drugs. Check all the skin on your body and head for any changes in size, shape or color of skin growths or the development of new skin spots. Don’t forget to check your scalp, ears, the palms of your hands, soles of your feet, between your toes, your genital area and between your buttocks. Use mirrors and even take pictures to help identify changes in your skin over time. Make an appointment with your dermatologist if you notice any changes in a mole or other skin spot.

Nearly all skin cancers can be cured if they are treated before they have a chance to spread. The earlier skin cancer is found and removed, the better your chance for a full recovery. Ninety percent of those with basal cell skin cancer are cured. It is important to continue following up with a dermatologist to make sure cancer does not return.

The five-year survival rate if it’s detected before it spreads to the lymph nodes is 99%. The five-year survival rate if it has spread to nearby lymph nodes is 66%. The five-year survival rate if it has spread to distant lymph nodes and other organs is 27%.

What is the most common treatment for skin cancer?

Surgery – Surgery is the primary treatment for most skin cancers. For patients with basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas, a dermatologist or other qualified doctor may perform an outpatient procedure using a local anesthetic. In these procedures, like with most skin cancer surgeries, the cancer cells are removed, along with surrounding skin, known as the margin.

Excision: Types of excisions include: Simple excision: removes the skin tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissue. Wide excision: removes the skin tumor and a larger margin of healthy tissue. This is a more common treatment for melanoma. Shave excision: removes the skin tumor by shaving it off with a razor-like device.

Mohs surgery : Layers of skin are removed individually and analyzed until no cancer cells are found. Cryosurgery: Cancer cells are frozen with liquid nitrogen. Laser surgery: A powerful laser light beam kills cancer cells on the surface of the skin. Lymph node biopsy : In some cases, lymph nodes near the skin cancer may need to be removed to determine whether the cancer has spread.

How do they remove skin cancer?

Treatment – Your treatment options for skin cancer and the precancerous skin lesions known as actinic keratoses will vary, depending on the size, type, depth and location of the lesions. Small skin cancers limited to the surface of the skin may not require treatment beyond an initial skin biopsy that removes the entire growth. If additional treatment is needed, options may include:

Freezing. Your doctor may destroy actinic keratoses and some small, early skin cancers by freezing them with liquid nitrogen (cryosurgery). The dead tissue sloughs off when it thaws. Excisional surgery. This type of treatment may be appropriate for any type of skin cancer. Your doctor cuts out (excises) the cancerous tissue and a surrounding margin of healthy skin. A wide excision — removing extra normal skin around the tumor — may be recommended in some cases. Mohs surgery. This procedure is for larger, recurring or difficult-to-treat skin cancers, which may include both basal and squamous cell carcinomas. It’s often used in areas where it’s necessary to conserve as much skin as possible, such as on the nose. During Mohs surgery, your doctor removes the skin growth layer by layer, examining each layer under the microscope, until no abnormal cells remain. This procedure allows cancerous cells to be removed without taking an excessive amount of surrounding healthy skin. Curettage and electrodesiccation or cryotherapy. After removing most of a growth, your doctor scrapes away layers of cancer cells using a device with a circular blade (curet). An electric needle destroys any remaining cancer cells. In a variation of this procedure, liquid nitrogen can be used to freeze the base and edges of the treated area. These simple, quick procedures may be used to treat basal cell cancers or thin squamous cell cancers. Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy beams, such as X-rays, to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy may be an option when cancer can’t be completely removed during surgery. Chemotherapy. In chemotherapy, drugs are used to kill cancer cells. For cancers limited to the top layer of skin, creams or lotions containing anti-cancer agents may be applied directly to the skin. Systemic chemotherapy can be used to treat skin cancers that have spread to other parts of the body. Photodynamic therapy. This treatment destroys skin cancer cells with a combination of laser light and drugs that makes cancer cells sensitive to light. Biological therapy. Biological therapy uses your body’s immune system to kill cancer cells.

Do skin cancers go away on their own?

5. Melanoma can go away on its own. – Melanoma on the skin can spontaneously regress, or begin to, without any treatment. That’s because the body’s immune system is able launch an assault on the disease that’s strong enough to spur its retreat. Unfortunately, sometimes this happens only after the disease has spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver, lungs, bones, or brain.

“The observation that the immune system can cause melanoma to regress was one of the key insights that led to the development of immunotherapy as a successful treatment for melanoma,” explains Dr. Marghoob. “The thinking went, if the immune system can get rid of melanoma on its own, there must also be a way to enhance the immune system’s natural ability to fight melanoma.” This eventually led researchers to develop drugs designed to enhance the immune system’s ability to successfully fight melanoma that has spread.

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What does Stage 1 skin cancer look like?

Squamous Cell Carcinoma Early Stages – The second most common form of cancer in the skin is squamous cell carcinoma. At first, cancer cells appear as flat patches in the skin, often with a rough, scaly, reddish, or brown surface. These abnormal cells slowly grow in sun-exposed areas.

How quickly does skin cancer spread?

Symptoms of melanoma – The first sign of flat melanoma is usually a new spot or an existing mole or freckle that changes in appearance. Some changes might include:

The spot may grow larger. The edges of the spot may look irregular, rather than smooth. The spot may be mottled with a range of colours such as brown, black, blue, red, white or light grey. The spot may be itchy or bleed.

Melanoma can grow very quickly. It can become life-threatening in as little as 6 weeks and, if untreated, it can spread to other parts of the body. Melanoma can appear on skin not normally exposed to the sun. Nodular melanoma is a highly dangerous form of melanoma that looks different from common melanomas.

Do all skin cancers need to be removed?

Ask the doctor – How Do You Treat Skin Cancer Image: © AndreyPopov/Getty Images Q. My doctor says I have a small skin cancer on my scalp, but it’s not melanoma. Do I really need to have it removed? A. It’s true that melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer, because it can spread throughout the body.

  1. You definitely need to have any melanoma removed, to try to excise it before it spreads.
  2. Two other types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, are more common than melanoma.
  3. It sounds like you have one of those.
  4. They spread only rarely, but they do grow larger.
  5. Not only is this disfiguring, but delay in removing them makes it harder to remove them with only a minimal scar.

And cancers on the scalp, when they become large, can be particularly hard to remove. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.

What is the survival rate for skin cancer?

Skin cancer

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States.1,2 Current estimates are that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.3 It is estimated that approximately 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day.4,6 Research estimates that nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), including basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), affects more than 3 million Americans a year.4,7 It is estimated that the overall incidence of BCC increased by 145% between 1976-1984 and 2000-2010, and the overall incidence of SCC increased 263% over that same period.8

Women had a greater increase in incidence than men for both types of NMSC.8

More than 1 million Americans are living with melanoma.9 It is estimated that 197,700 new cases of melanoma, 97,920 noninvasive (in situ) and 99,780 invasive, will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2022.5,6

Invasive melanoma is projected to be the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer for both men (57,180 cases) and women (42,600 cases) in 2022.5,6

Melanoma rates in the United States have been rising rapidly over the past 30 years — doubling from 1982 to 2011 — but trends within the past decade vary by age.1,6

Melanoma incidence has begun to decline in adolescents and adults ages 30 and younger. By contrast, melanoma incidence increased among older age groups, with more pronounced increases in people ages 80 and older.10,11 After decades of increase, invasive melanoma incidence rates declined from 2005 to 2018 in individuals younger than age 50 by about 1% per year.5

Before age 50, rates are higher in women compared to men. After age 50, and in general, men have higher rates. White populations have higher rates compared other races.5,6,12

The annual incidence rate of melanoma in non-Hispanic White people is over 33 per 100,000, compared 4.5 for Hispanic people and 1 per 100,000 in non-Hispanic Black people.13

Skin cancer can affect anyone, regardless of skin color.

The incidence of skin cancer among non-Hispanic White individuals is almost 30 times higher than that among non-Hispanic Black or Asian/Pacific Islander individuals.5 Skin cancer in patients with darker skin tones is often diagnosed in its later stages, when it’s more difficult to treat.6,14

Research has shown that patients with darker skin tones are less likely than patients with lighter skin tones to survive melanoma.5,6,15 Twenty-one percent of melanoma cases in African American patients are diagnosed when the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, while 16% are diagnosed when the cancer has spread to distant lymph nodes and other organs.6

People with darker skin tones are prone to skin cancer in areas that aren’t commonly exposed to the sun, like the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, the groin and the inside of the mouth. They also may develop melanoma under their nails.14

Skin cancer rates are higher in women than in men before age 50, but are higher in men after age 50, which may be related to differences in recreation and work-related UV exposure.5

It is estimated that melanoma will affect 1 in 27 men and 1 in 40 women in their lifetime.5 Melanoma incidence is higher in females than in males in younger age groups, though incidence rates in younger age groups overall have shown declines in recent years.10,11

Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, the two most common forms of skin cancer, are highly treatable if detected early and treated properly.5,16 The five-year survival rate for people whose melanoma is detected and treated before it spreads to the lymph nodes is 99%.5,6 The five-year survival rate for melanoma that spreads to nearby lymph nodes is 68%. The five-year survival rate for melanoma that spreads to distant lymph nodes and other organs is 30%.5,6

The vast majority of skin cancer deaths are from melanoma.5 Nearly 20 Americans die from melanoma every day. In 2022, it is estimated that 7,650 deaths will be attributed to melanoma — 5,080 men and 2,570 women.5,6 Research indicates that men with melanoma generally have lower survival rates than women with melanoma.17,18 Overall melanoma death rates drastically declined between 2014 and 2019 by nearly 4%.5

Excess exposure to UV radiation from sunlight or use of indoor tanning also increases risk for all skin cancer types, as does a personal history of the disease.5 The majority of melanoma cases are attributable to UV exposure.19-21 Research suggests that regular sunscreen use may reduce risk of melanoma.21-23

Higher melanoma rates among men may be due in part to lower rates of sun protection.1

Sunburns during childhood or adolescence can increase the odds of developing melanoma later in life.25

Experiencing five or more blistering sunburns between ages 15 and 20 increases one’s melanoma risk by 80% and nonmelanoma skin cancer risk by 68%.26

Exposure to tanning beds increases the risk of melanoma, including early onset melanoma.27,28

Women younger than 30 are six times more likely to develop melanoma if they tan indoors.29 The younger a person is when they use tanning beds and the more annual use of indoor tanning they have increases their risk of the development of melanoma and NMSC.27

Risk factors for all types of skin cancer include skin that burns easily; blonde or red hair; a history of excessive sun exposure, including sunburns; tanning bed use; a weakened immune system; and a history of skin cancer.5

People with more than 50 moles, atypical moles or large moles are at an increased risk of developing melanoma, as are those as are sun-sensitive individuals (e.g., those who sunburn easily, or have natural blonde or red hair) and those with a personal or family history of melanoma.5

Melanoma survivors have an approximately eight-fold increased risk of developing another melanoma compared to the general population.30 Men and women with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer are at a higher risk of developing melanoma than people without a nonmelanoma skin cancer history.31,32 White individuals who have had more than one melanoma have an increased risk of developing both subsequent melanomas and other cancers, including those of the breast, prostate, and thyroid.33

Because exposure to UV light is the most preventable risk factor for all skin cancers, the American Academy of Dermatology encourages everyone to stay out of indoor tanning beds and protect their skin outdoors by seeking shade, wearing protective clothing — including a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protection — and applying a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to all skin not covered by clothing.19-21

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For more effective sun protection, select clothing with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) number on the label. Because severe sunburns during childhood and adolescence may increase one’s risk of melanoma, children should be especially protected from the sun.5

Skin cancer warning signs include changes in size, shape, or color of a mole or other skin lesion, the appearance of a new growth on the skin, or a sore that doesn’t heal. If you notice any spots on your skin that are different from the others, or anything changing, itching or bleeding, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you make an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist.

About half of melanomas are self-detected.34-38

Regular skin self-exams are important for people who are at higher risk of skin cancer, such as people with a personal and/or family history of skin cancer.39 A dermatologist can make individual recommendations as to how often a person needs a skin exam from a doctor based on individual risk factors, including skin type, history of sun exposure and family history.

About 4.9 million U.S. adults were treated for skin cancer each year from 2007 to 2011, for an average annual treatment cost of $8.1 billion.2

This represents an increase over the period from 2002 to 2006, when about 3.4 million adults were treated for skin cancer each year, for an annual average treatment cost of $3.6 billion.2

The annual cost of treating nonmelanoma skin cancer in the U.S. is estimated at $4.8 billion, while the average annual cost of treating melanoma is estimated at $3.3 billion.2 Researchers estimate that there were nearly 34,000 U.S. emergency department visits related to sunburn in 2013, for an estimated total cost of $11.2 million.40

1 Guy GP, Thomas CC, Thompson T, Watson M, Massetti GM, Richardson LC. Vital signs: Melanoma incidence and mortality trends and projections—United States, 1982–2030. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep.2015;64(21):591-596.2 Guy GP, Machlin S, Ekwueme DU, Yabroff KR.

Prevalence and costs of skin cancer treatment in the US, 2002–2006 and 2007–2011. Am J Prev Med.2015;48:183–7.3 Stern RS. Prevalence of a history of skin cancer in 2007: results of an incidence-based model. Arch Dermatol.2010 Mar;146(3):279-82.4 Rogers HW, Weinstock MA, Feldman SR, Coldiron BM. Incidence estimate of nonmelanoma skin cancer (keratinocyte carcinomas) in the US population.

JAMA Dermatol. Published online April 30, 2015.5 American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2022. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2022.6 Siegel RL, Miller KD, Fuchs HE, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2022. CA Cancer J Clin.2022;72(1):7-33. doi:10.3322/caac.21708.7 American Academy of Dermatology/Milliman.

  • Burden of Skin Disease.2017.
  • Www.aad.org/BSD.8 Muzic, JG et al.
  • Incidence and Trends of Basal Cell Carcinoma and Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Population-Based Study in Olmstead County, Minnesota, 2000-2010.
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National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/melan.html.10 Thrift AP, Gudenkauf FJ. Melanoma incidence among non-Hispanic whites in all 50 US states from 2001 through 2015. J Natl Cancer Inst 2019 doi:10.1093/jnci/djz153.11 Paulson KG, Gupta D, Kim TS.

Age-Specific Incidence of Melanoma in the United States. JAMA Dermatol 2020;156(1):57-64. doi:10.1001jamadermatol.2019.3353.12 American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Melanoma Skin Cancer. Accessed April 18, 2022.13 SEER*Explorer: An interactive website for SEER cancer statistics; Recent Trends in SEER Age-Adjusted Incidence Rates, 2000-2019.

Surveillance Research Program, National Cancer Institute. Accessed April 18, 2022. Available from https://seer.cancer.gov/explorer/.14 Agbai ON, Buster K, Sanchez M, Hernandez C, Kundu RV, Chiu M, Roberts WE, Draelos ZD, Bhushan R, Taylor SC, Lim HW. Skin cancer and photoprotection in people of color: a review and recommendations for physicians and the public.

J Am Acad Dermatol.2014;70(4):748-62.15 Dawes SM et al. Racial disparities in melanoma survival. J Am Acad Dermatol.2016 Nov; 75(5):983-991.16 American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Basal and Squamous Cell Skin Cancers. Accessed April 18, 2022.17 SEER*Explorer: An interactive website for SEER cancer statistics; Melanoma of the Skin Recent Trends in U.S.

Age-Adjusted Mortality Rates, 2000-2019. Surveillance Research Program, National Cancer Institute. Accessed April 14, 2022. Available from https://seer.cancer.gov/explorer/.18 Sharouni MA, Witkamp AJ, Sigurdsson V, van Diest PJ, Louwman MWJ, Kukutsch NA.

  1. Sex matters: men with melanoma have a worse prognosis than women.
  2. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 2019 doi:10.1111/jdv.15760.19 Arnold M, Kvaskoff M, Thuret A, Guenel P, Bray F and Soerjomatarm I.
  3. Cutaneous melanoma in France in 2015 attributable to solar ultraviolet radiation and the use of sunbeds.

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. Published online April 16, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.15022.20 Arnold M et al. Global burden of cutaneous melanoma attributable to ultraviolet radiation in 2012. Int J Cancer.2018 April. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.31527.21 Islami F, Sauer AG, Miller KD, et al.

Cutaneous melanomas attributable to ultraviolet radiation exposure by state. Int J Cancer.2020;147(5):1385-1390. doi:10.1002/ijc.32921.22 Green AC, Williams GM, Logan V, Strutton GM. Reduced melanoma after regular sunscreen use: randomized trial follow-up J Clin Oncol Jan 20, 2011:257-263; published online on December 6, 2010.23 Watts CG, Drummond M, Goumas C, et al.

Sunscreen Use and Melanoma Risk Among Young Australian Adults. JAMA Dermatol. Published online July 18, 2018. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.1774.24 Sander M, Sander M, Burbidge T, Beecker J. The efficacy and safety of sunscreen use for the prevention of skin cancer.

  • CMAJ.2020;192(50):E1802-E1808.
  • Doi:10.1503/cmaj.201085.25 Dennis, Leslie K. et al.
  • Sunburns and Risk of Cutaneous Melanoma, Does Age Matter: A Comprehensive MetaAnalysis.Annals of epidemiology 18.8 (2008): 614–627.26 Wu S, Han J, Laden F, Qureshi AA.
  • Long-term ultraviolet flux, other potential risk factors, and skin cancer risk: a cohort study.

Cancer Epidemiol Biomar Prev; 2014.23(6); 1080-1089.27 An S, Kim K, Moon S, et al. Indoor Tanning and the Risk of Overall and Early-Onset Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cancers (Basel).2021;13(23):5940. Published 2021 Nov 25.

  1. Doi:10.3390/cancers13235940.28 Colantonio S, Bracken MB, Beecker J.
  2. The association of indoor tanning and melanoma in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis.
  3. J Am Acad Dermatol 2014;70:847–57.29 Lazovich D, Isaksson Vogel R, Weinstock MA, Nelson HH, Ahmed RL, Berwick M.
  4. Association Between Indoor Tanning and Melanoma in Younger Men and Women.

JAMA Dermatol.2016;152(3):268-275. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2015.2938.30 Beroukhim K, Pourang A, Eisen DB. Risk of second primary cutaneous and noncutaneous melanoma after cutaneous melanoma diagnosis: A population-based study. J Am Acad Dermatol.2020;82(3):683-689.

doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2019.10.024.31 Work Group; Invited Reviewers, Kim JYS, et al. Guidelines of care for the management of basal cell carcinoma. J Am Acad Dermatol.2018;78(3):540-559. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2017.10.006.32 Work Group; Invited Reviewers, Kim JYS, et al. Guidelines of care for the management of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

J Am Acad Dermatol.2018;78(3):560-578. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2017.10.007.33 Cai ED, Swetter SM and Sarin KY. Association of multiple primary melanomas with malignancy risk: a population-based analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database from 1973-2014.

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  • Https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2018.09.027 34 Avilés-Izquierdo JA, Molina-López I, Rodríguez-Lomba E, Marquez-Rodas I, Suarez-Fernandez R, Lazaro-Ochaita P.
  • Who detects melanoma? Impact of detection patterns on characteristics and prognosis of patients with melanoma.

J Am Acad Dermatol.2016; 75(5):967-974.35 Cheng MY, Moreau JF, McGuire ST, Ho J, Ferris LK. Melanoma depth in patients with an established dermatologist. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.2014; 70(5):841-846.36 Brady MS, Oliveria SA, Christos PJ, et al.

Patterns of detection in patients with cutaneous melanoma. Cancer.2000;89:342-347.37 Epstein DS, Lange JR, Gruber SB, et al. Is Physician Detection Associated With Thinner Melanomas? JAMA.1999;281(7):640-643.38 Koh HK, Miller DR, Geller AC, et al. Who discovers melanoma? Patterns from a population-based survey.

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.1992;26:914-919.39 American Cancer Society. How to Do a Skin Self-Exam. Accessed April 19, 2022.40 Guy GP, Berkowitz Z and Watson M. Estimated Cost of Sunburn-Associated Visits to US Hospital Emergency Departments.

What are the 4 signs of skin cancer?

How to Spot Skin Cancer Written By:Stacy Simon April 9, 2020 is by far the most common type of cancer. If you know what to look for, you can spot warning signs of skin cancer early. Finding it early, when it’s small and has not spread, makes skin cancer much easier to treat. Some doctors and other health care professionals include skin exams as part of routine health check-ups.

Many doctors also recommend that you check your own skin about once a month. Look at your skin in a well-lit room in front of a full-length mirror. Use a hand-held mirror to look at areas that are hard to see. Use the “ABCDE rule” to look for some of the common signs of, one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer: Asymmetry One part of a mole or birthmark doesn’t match the other.

Border The edges are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred. Color The color is not the same all over and may include shades of brown or black, sometimes with patches of pink, red, white, or blue. Diameter The spot is larger than ¼ inch across – about the size of a pencil eraser – although melanomas can sometimes be smaller than this.

Evolving The mole is changing in size, shape, or color. are more common than melanomas, but they are usually very treatable. Both basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas, or cancers, usually grow on parts of the body that get the most sun, such as the face, head, and neck. But they can show up anywhere.

Basal cell carcinomas: what to look for:

Flat, firm, pale or yellow areas, similar to a scar Raised reddish patches that might be itchy Small translucent, shiny, pearly bumps that are pink or red and which might have blue, brown, or black areas Pink growths with raised edges and a lower area in their center, which might have abnormal blood vessels spreading out like the spokes of a wheel Open sores (that may have oozing or crusted areas) and which don’t heal, or heal and then come back

Squamous cell carcinomas: what to look for :

Rough or scaly red patches, which might crust or bleed Raised growths or lumps, sometimes with a lower area in the center Open sores (that may have oozing or crusted areas) and which don’t heal, or heal and then come back Wart-like growths

Not all skin cancers look like these descriptions, though. Point out anything you’re concerned about to your doctor, including:

Any new spots Any spot that doesn’t look like others on your body Any sore that doesn’t heal Redness or new swelling beyond the border of a mole Color that spreads from the border of a spot into surrounding skin Itching, pain, or tenderness in an area that doesn’t go away or goes away then comes back Changes in the surface of a mole: oozing, scaliness, bleeding, or the appearance of a lump or bump

American Cancer Society news stories are copyrighted material and are not intended to be used as, For reprint requests, please see our, : How to Spot Skin Cancer

Is skin cancer surgery serious?

What Are the Risks? – Mohs surgery is generally considered very safe, but there are some risks:

Bleeding from the site of surgeryBleeding into the wound ( hematoma ) from surrounding tissuePain or tenderness in the area where skin was removedInfection

Although these are less likely to happen, there are other potential problems:

You could have temporary or permanent numbness in the area where the skin was removed.If your tumor was large and your surgeon cut a muscle nerve while removing it, you might feel some weakness in that part of your body.You might feel itching or shooting pain.You could develop a thick, raised scar.

Can you live a full life with skin cancer?

Survival for all stages of melanoma – Generally for people with melanoma in England:

almost all people (almost 100%) will survive their melanoma for 1 year or more after they are diagnosed around 90 out of every 100 people (around 90%) will survive their melanoma for 5 years or more after diagnosis more than 85 out of every 100 people (more than 85%) will survive their melanoma for 10 years or more after they are diagnosed

Cancer survival by stage at diagnosis for England, 2019 Office for National Statistics These figures are for people diagnosed in England between 2013 and 2017. These statistics are for net survival. Net survival estimates the number of people who survive their cancer rather than calculating the number of people diagnosed with cancer who are still alive.

Is skin cancer a big deal?

Risky Business – “It’s important for patients to be aware of those statistics, because knowing they’re at higher risk can empower them to take action,” says New York City dermatologist Elizabeth K. Hale, MD, a senior vice president of The Skin Cancer Foundation.

While having previous skin cancers may be the greatest risk factor, knowing your other risk factors is also extremely important.” These include how often you’ve been sunburned, for example, and whether you’ve ever used tanning beds. Many other factors can put you in this high-risk group, too, like your skin type, genetics and a family history of skin cancer, says Los Angeles dermatologist Ronald L.

Moy, MD, also a senior vice president of the Foundation. “Where did you grow up? How much Irish or English do you have in you? How much sun exposure have you gotten, and how much early exposure as a child?” Some patients may think it’s no big deal to be diagnosed with a nonmelanoma skin cancer.

  • For those whose BCC or SCC was detected early and treated right away, it usually isn’t a big deal.
  • If they’re also among the 40 percent of people who won’t develop another skin cancer in the next decade, that’s great news.
  • But for those of us who’ve had more than one, it’s important to understand that these skin cancers can be a big deal.

While basal cell carcinomas almost never spread (metastasize), some can be aggressive, grow quite large and even become disfiguring. And squamous cell carcinomas can sometimes metastasize, spreading to lymph nodes or beyond if not treated early. Watch Your Head! Men are less aware of the warning signs of skin cancer than women and less likely to use sunscreen. Let’s help change that! Making matters worse, if you’ve had one type of skin cancer, statistics show you are also at risk for the other types, including melanoma, which can be life-threatening.

The main reason for this risky situation? When your skin is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun or from tanning beds, it causes DNA damage in your skin cells. If repair processes in those cells don’t fix all this genetic damage, it can produce mutations that lead to skin cancer. If you’ve had multiple skin cancers, it may signal that you’ve had extensive sun damage, that your immune system is compromised, that your skin just doesn’t repair its DNA very well — or all the above.

“I see patients every day who have had multiple skin cancers,” Dr. Moy says. Some patients even get hundreds of them, such as a fair-skinned commercial airline pilot from New Zealand he sees regularly. “When you’re on a plane, whether as a passenger, a crew member or a pilot, you’re bombarded with ultraviolet radiation.

What do skin cancers look like?

Melanoma signs and symptoms – Melanoma can develop anywhere on your body, in otherwise normal skin or in an existing mole that becomes cancerous. Melanoma most often appears on the face or the trunk of affected men. In women, this type of cancer most often develops on the lower legs.

A large brownish spot with darker speckles A mole that changes in color, size or feel or that bleeds A small lesion with an irregular border and portions that appear red, pink, white, blue or blue-black A painful lesion that itches or burns Dark lesions on your palms, soles, fingertips or toes, or on mucous membranes lining your mouth, nose, vagina or anus

Can most skin cancers be removed?

Surgery to remove skin cancer (excision) Most small skin cancers are removed in a minor operation called an excision. It is usually done using a local anaesthetic and you can go home on the same day. The surgeon or dermatologist will remove (excise) the cancer and some normal-looking skin around it (margin).

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Is melanoma flat or raised?

Is melanoma flat or raised? How Do You Treat Skin Cancer The most common type of melanoma usually appears as a flat or barely raised lesion with irregular edges and different colours. Fifty per cent of these melanomas occur in preexisting moles. Why is melanoma known as “Australia’s national cancer?”, Australia and New Zealand have the highest melanoma rates in the world.

One person dies of melanoma in Australia every five hours. Melanoma makes up 20% of all cancer cases of Australians between 20-39 years old, making it the most common cancer in young Australians 1 in 14 Australian men and 1 in 24 Australian women will be diagnosed with melanoma sometime in their life

Fortunately, when discovered early 90% of cases can be cured through surgical removal of the primary melanoma, and there is a 90% chance of surviving 5 years with melanoma. It is crucial therefore to identify melanoma in its earliest stage.

Where does skin cancer usually spread to first?

September 30, 2020, by NCI Staff Melanoma cells can spread from the primary tumor through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to form new tumors. Credit: © Terese Winslow Melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, is often incurable once the cancer has spread from the original site of the tumor to distant organs and tissues.

Doctors have known for decades that melanoma and many other cancer types tend to spread first into nearby lymph nodes before entering the blood and traveling to distant parts of the body. But the implications of this detour through the lymph nodes have remained unclear. Now, an NCI-funded study may provide some answers, raising the possibility of new treatment approaches that could help keep melanoma from spreading, or metastasizing, the study investigators said.

The study, published September 3 in Nature, shows that melanoma cells that pass through the lymphatic system before entering the bloodstream spread and form new tumors more readily than cells that directly enter the bloodstream. In studies in mice, a team led by Sean Morrison, Ph.D., director of the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern, found that melanoma cells that travel through the lymphatic system are more resistant to a form of cell death called ferroptosis,

  1. This knowledge uncovers tremendous therapeutic potential, since enhancers and inhibitors of ferroptosis are being developed,” said Konstantin Salnikow, Ph.D., of NCI’s Division of Cancer Biology, who was not involved in the study.
  2. However, further work is needed before such drugs could be tested in people with melanoma, Dr.

Salnikow said.

How urgent is skin cancer?

Basal cell skin cancers usually don’t need an urgent referral but you should still see a specialist within 18 weeks. Read a guide to NHS waiting times. The specialist will examine your skin again and will perform a biopsy to confirm a diagnosis of skin cancer.

How do doctors know if skin cancer has spread?

Related information – Melanoma spread: How lymph nodes play a role in detection If you receive a diagnosis of melanoma, the next step is to determine the extent (stage) of the cancer. To assign a stage to your melanoma, your doctor will:

Determine the thickness. The thickness of a melanoma is determined by carefully examining the melanoma under a microscope and measuring it with a special tool. The thickness of a melanoma helps doctors decide on a treatment plan. In general, the thicker the tumor, the more serious the disease. Thinner melanomas may only require surgery to remove the cancer and some normal tissue around it. If the melanoma is thicker, your doctor may recommend additional tests to see if the cancer has spread before determining your treatment options. See if the melanoma has spread to the lymph nodes. If there’s a risk that the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, your doctor may recommend a procedure known as a sentinel node biopsy. During a sentinel node biopsy, a dye is injected in the area where your melanoma was removed. The dye flows to the nearby lymph nodes. The first lymph nodes to take up the dye are removed and tested for cancer cells. If these first lymph nodes (sentinel lymph nodes) are cancer-free, there’s a good chance that the melanoma has not spread beyond the area where it was first discovered. Look for signs of cancer beyond the skin. For people with more-advanced melanomas, doctors may recommend imaging tests to look for signs that the cancer has spread to other areas of the body. Imaging tests may include X-rays, CT scans and positron emission tomography (PET) scans. These imaging tests generally aren’t recommended for smaller melanomas with a lower risk of spreading beyond the skin.

Other factors may go into determining the risk that the cancer may spread (metastasize), including whether the skin over the area has formed an open sore (ulceration) and how many dividing cancer cells (mitoses) are found when looking under a microscope.

Do you feel sick if you have skin cancer?

You can feel well and still have skin cancer Most people who find a suspicious spot on their skin or streak beneath a nail feel fine. They don’t have any pain. They don’t feel ill. The only difference they notice is the suspicious-looking spot.

How long do you live if you have skin cancer?

5-year relative survival rates for melanoma skin cancer – These numbers are based on people diagnosed with melanoma between 2011 and 2017

SEER stage 5-year relative survival rate
Localized 99%
Regional 68%
Distant 30%
All SEER stages combined 93%

What percent of skin cancer is curable?

Skin cancer

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States.1,2 Current estimates are that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.3 It is estimated that approximately 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day.4,6 Research estimates that nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), including basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), affects more than 3 million Americans a year.4,7 It is estimated that the overall incidence of BCC increased by 145% between 1976-1984 and 2000-2010, and the overall incidence of SCC increased 263% over that same period.8

Women had a greater increase in incidence than men for both types of NMSC.8

More than 1 million Americans are living with melanoma.9 It is estimated that 197,700 new cases of melanoma, 97,920 noninvasive (in situ) and 99,780 invasive, will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2022.5,6

Invasive melanoma is projected to be the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer for both men (57,180 cases) and women (42,600 cases) in 2022.5,6

Melanoma rates in the United States have been rising rapidly over the past 30 years — doubling from 1982 to 2011 — but trends within the past decade vary by age.1,6

Melanoma incidence has begun to decline in adolescents and adults ages 30 and younger. By contrast, melanoma incidence increased among older age groups, with more pronounced increases in people ages 80 and older.10,11 After decades of increase, invasive melanoma incidence rates declined from 2005 to 2018 in individuals younger than age 50 by about 1% per year.5

Before age 50, rates are higher in women compared to men. After age 50, and in general, men have higher rates. White populations have higher rates compared other races.5,6,12

The annual incidence rate of melanoma in non-Hispanic White people is over 33 per 100,000, compared 4.5 for Hispanic people and 1 per 100,000 in non-Hispanic Black people.13

Skin cancer can affect anyone, regardless of skin color.

The incidence of skin cancer among non-Hispanic White individuals is almost 30 times higher than that among non-Hispanic Black or Asian/Pacific Islander individuals.5 Skin cancer in patients with darker skin tones is often diagnosed in its later stages, when it’s more difficult to treat.6,14

Research has shown that patients with darker skin tones are less likely than patients with lighter skin tones to survive melanoma.5,6,15 Twenty-one percent of melanoma cases in African American patients are diagnosed when the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, while 16% are diagnosed when the cancer has spread to distant lymph nodes and other organs.6

People with darker skin tones are prone to skin cancer in areas that aren’t commonly exposed to the sun, like the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, the groin and the inside of the mouth. They also may develop melanoma under their nails.14

Skin cancer rates are higher in women than in men before age 50, but are higher in men after age 50, which may be related to differences in recreation and work-related UV exposure.5

It is estimated that melanoma will affect 1 in 27 men and 1 in 40 women in their lifetime.5 Melanoma incidence is higher in females than in males in younger age groups, though incidence rates in younger age groups overall have shown declines in recent years.10,11

Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, the two most common forms of skin cancer, are highly treatable if detected early and treated properly.5,16 The five-year survival rate for people whose melanoma is detected and treated before it spreads to the lymph nodes is 99%.5,6 The five-year survival rate for melanoma that spreads to nearby lymph nodes is 68%. The five-year survival rate for melanoma that spreads to distant lymph nodes and other organs is 30%.5,6

The vast majority of skin cancer deaths are from melanoma.5 Nearly 20 Americans die from melanoma every day. In 2022, it is estimated that 7,650 deaths will be attributed to melanoma — 5,080 men and 2,570 women.5,6 Research indicates that men with melanoma generally have lower survival rates than women with melanoma.17,18 Overall melanoma death rates drastically declined between 2014 and 2019 by nearly 4%.5

Excess exposure to UV radiation from sunlight or use of indoor tanning also increases risk for all skin cancer types, as does a personal history of the disease.5 The majority of melanoma cases are attributable to UV exposure.19-21 Research suggests that regular sunscreen use may reduce risk of melanoma.21-23

Higher melanoma rates among men may be due in part to lower rates of sun protection.1

Sunburns during childhood or adolescence can increase the odds of developing melanoma later in life.25

Experiencing five or more blistering sunburns between ages 15 and 20 increases one’s melanoma risk by 80% and nonmelanoma skin cancer risk by 68%.26

Exposure to tanning beds increases the risk of melanoma, including early onset melanoma.27,28

Women younger than 30 are six times more likely to develop melanoma if they tan indoors.29 The younger a person is when they use tanning beds and the more annual use of indoor tanning they have increases their risk of the development of melanoma and NMSC.27

Risk factors for all types of skin cancer include skin that burns easily; blonde or red hair; a history of excessive sun exposure, including sunburns; tanning bed use; a weakened immune system; and a history of skin cancer.5

People with more than 50 moles, atypical moles or large moles are at an increased risk of developing melanoma, as are those as are sun-sensitive individuals (e.g., those who sunburn easily, or have natural blonde or red hair) and those with a personal or family history of melanoma.5

Melanoma survivors have an approximately eight-fold increased risk of developing another melanoma compared to the general population.30 Men and women with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer are at a higher risk of developing melanoma than people without a nonmelanoma skin cancer history.31,32 White individuals who have had more than one melanoma have an increased risk of developing both subsequent melanomas and other cancers, including those of the breast, prostate, and thyroid.33

Because exposure to UV light is the most preventable risk factor for all skin cancers, the American Academy of Dermatology encourages everyone to stay out of indoor tanning beds and protect their skin outdoors by seeking shade, wearing protective clothing — including a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protection — and applying a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to all skin not covered by clothing.19-21

For more effective sun protection, select clothing with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) number on the label. Because severe sunburns during childhood and adolescence may increase one’s risk of melanoma, children should be especially protected from the sun.5

Skin cancer warning signs include changes in size, shape, or color of a mole or other skin lesion, the appearance of a new growth on the skin, or a sore that doesn’t heal. If you notice any spots on your skin that are different from the others, or anything changing, itching or bleeding, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you make an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist.

About half of melanomas are self-detected.34-38

Regular skin self-exams are important for people who are at higher risk of skin cancer, such as people with a personal and/or family history of skin cancer.39 A dermatologist can make individual recommendations as to how often a person needs a skin exam from a doctor based on individual risk factors, including skin type, history of sun exposure and family history.

About 4.9 million U.S. adults were treated for skin cancer each year from 2007 to 2011, for an average annual treatment cost of $8.1 billion.2

This represents an increase over the period from 2002 to 2006, when about 3.4 million adults were treated for skin cancer each year, for an annual average treatment cost of $3.6 billion.2

The annual cost of treating nonmelanoma skin cancer in the U.S. is estimated at $4.8 billion, while the average annual cost of treating melanoma is estimated at $3.3 billion.2 Researchers estimate that there were nearly 34,000 U.S. emergency department visits related to sunburn in 2013, for an estimated total cost of $11.2 million.40

1 Guy GP, Thomas CC, Thompson T, Watson M, Massetti GM, Richardson LC. Vital signs: Melanoma incidence and mortality trends and projections—United States, 1982–2030. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep.2015;64(21):591-596.2 Guy GP, Machlin S, Ekwueme DU, Yabroff KR.

  1. Prevalence and costs of skin cancer treatment in the US, 2002–2006 and 2007–2011.
  2. Am J Prev Med.2015;48:183–7.3 Stern RS.
  3. Prevalence of a history of skin cancer in 2007: results of an incidence-based model.
  4. Arch Dermatol.2010 Mar;146(3):279-82.4 Rogers HW, Weinstock MA, Feldman SR, Coldiron BM.
  5. Incidence estimate of nonmelanoma skin cancer (keratinocyte carcinomas) in the US population.

JAMA Dermatol. Published online April 30, 2015.5 American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2022. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2022.6 Siegel RL, Miller KD, Fuchs HE, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2022. CA Cancer J Clin.2022;72(1):7-33. doi:10.3322/caac.21708.7 American Academy of Dermatology/Milliman.

Burden of Skin Disease.2017. www.aad.org/BSD.8 Muzic, JG et al. Incidence and Trends of Basal Cell Carcinoma and Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Population-Based Study in Olmstead County, Minnesota, 2000-2010. Mayo Clin Proc. Published Online May 15, 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2017.02.015 9 SEER Cancer Stat Facts: Melanoma of the Skin.

National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/melan.html.10 Thrift AP, Gudenkauf FJ. Melanoma incidence among non-Hispanic whites in all 50 US states from 2001 through 2015. J Natl Cancer Inst 2019 doi:10.1093/jnci/djz153.11 Paulson KG, Gupta D, Kim TS.

Age-Specific Incidence of Melanoma in the United States. JAMA Dermatol 2020;156(1):57-64. doi:10.1001jamadermatol.2019.3353.12 American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Melanoma Skin Cancer. Accessed April 18, 2022.13 SEER*Explorer: An interactive website for SEER cancer statistics; Recent Trends in SEER Age-Adjusted Incidence Rates, 2000-2019.

Surveillance Research Program, National Cancer Institute. Accessed April 18, 2022. Available from https://seer.cancer.gov/explorer/.14 Agbai ON, Buster K, Sanchez M, Hernandez C, Kundu RV, Chiu M, Roberts WE, Draelos ZD, Bhushan R, Taylor SC, Lim HW. Skin cancer and photoprotection in people of color: a review and recommendations for physicians and the public.

  • J Am Acad Dermatol.2014;70(4):748-62.15 Dawes SM et al.
  • Racial disparities in melanoma survival.
  • J Am Acad Dermatol.2016 Nov; 75(5):983-991.16 American Cancer Society.
  • Ey Statistics for Basal and Squamous Cell Skin Cancers.
  • Accessed April 18, 2022.17 SEER*Explorer: An interactive website for SEER cancer statistics; Melanoma of the Skin Recent Trends in U.S.
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Age-Adjusted Mortality Rates, 2000-2019. Surveillance Research Program, National Cancer Institute. Accessed April 14, 2022. Available from https://seer.cancer.gov/explorer/.18 Sharouni MA, Witkamp AJ, Sigurdsson V, van Diest PJ, Louwman MWJ, Kukutsch NA.

Sex matters: men with melanoma have a worse prognosis than women. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 2019 doi:10.1111/jdv.15760.19 Arnold M, Kvaskoff M, Thuret A, Guenel P, Bray F and Soerjomatarm I. Cutaneous melanoma in France in 2015 attributable to solar ultraviolet radiation and the use of sunbeds.

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. Published online April 16, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.15022.20 Arnold M et al. Global burden of cutaneous melanoma attributable to ultraviolet radiation in 2012. Int J Cancer.2018 April. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.31527.21 Islami F, Sauer AG, Miller KD, et al.

Cutaneous melanomas attributable to ultraviolet radiation exposure by state. Int J Cancer.2020;147(5):1385-1390. doi:10.1002/ijc.32921.22 Green AC, Williams GM, Logan V, Strutton GM. Reduced melanoma after regular sunscreen use: randomized trial follow-up J Clin Oncol Jan 20, 2011:257-263; published online on December 6, 2010.23 Watts CG, Drummond M, Goumas C, et al.

Sunscreen Use and Melanoma Risk Among Young Australian Adults. JAMA Dermatol. Published online July 18, 2018. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.1774.24 Sander M, Sander M, Burbidge T, Beecker J. The efficacy and safety of sunscreen use for the prevention of skin cancer.

CMAJ.2020;192(50):E1802-E1808. doi:10.1503/cmaj.201085.25 Dennis, Leslie K. et al. Sunburns and Risk of Cutaneous Melanoma, Does Age Matter: A Comprehensive MetaAnalysis.Annals of epidemiology 18.8 (2008): 614–627.26 Wu S, Han J, Laden F, Qureshi AA. Long-term ultraviolet flux, other potential risk factors, and skin cancer risk: a cohort study.

Cancer Epidemiol Biomar Prev; 2014.23(6); 1080-1089.27 An S, Kim K, Moon S, et al. Indoor Tanning and the Risk of Overall and Early-Onset Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cancers (Basel).2021;13(23):5940. Published 2021 Nov 25.

  1. Doi:10.3390/cancers13235940.28 Colantonio S, Bracken MB, Beecker J.
  2. The association of indoor tanning and melanoma in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis.
  3. J Am Acad Dermatol 2014;70:847–57.29 Lazovich D, Isaksson Vogel R, Weinstock MA, Nelson HH, Ahmed RL, Berwick M.
  4. Association Between Indoor Tanning and Melanoma in Younger Men and Women.

JAMA Dermatol.2016;152(3):268-275. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2015.2938.30 Beroukhim K, Pourang A, Eisen DB. Risk of second primary cutaneous and noncutaneous melanoma after cutaneous melanoma diagnosis: A population-based study. J Am Acad Dermatol.2020;82(3):683-689.

  1. Doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2019.10.024.31 Work Group; Invited Reviewers, Kim JYS, et al.
  2. Guidelines of care for the management of basal cell carcinoma.
  3. J Am Acad Dermatol.2018;78(3):540-559.
  4. Doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2017.10.006.32 Work Group; Invited Reviewers, Kim JYS, et al.
  5. Guidelines of care for the management of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

J Am Acad Dermatol.2018;78(3):560-578. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2017.10.007.33 Cai ED, Swetter SM and Sarin KY. Association of multiple primary melanomas with malignancy risk: a population-based analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database from 1973-2014.

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Published online Oct.1, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2018.09.027 34 Avilés-Izquierdo JA, Molina-López I, Rodríguez-Lomba E, Marquez-Rodas I, Suarez-Fernandez R, Lazaro-Ochaita P. Who detects melanoma? Impact of detection patterns on characteristics and prognosis of patients with melanoma.

J Am Acad Dermatol.2016; 75(5):967-974.35 Cheng MY, Moreau JF, McGuire ST, Ho J, Ferris LK. Melanoma depth in patients with an established dermatologist. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.2014; 70(5):841-846.36 Brady MS, Oliveria SA, Christos PJ, et al.

  1. Patterns of detection in patients with cutaneous melanoma.
  2. Cancer.2000;89:342-347.37 Epstein DS, Lange JR, Gruber SB, et al.
  3. Is Physician Detection Associated With Thinner Melanomas? JAMA.1999;281(7):640-643.38 Koh HK, Miller DR, Geller AC, et al.
  4. Who discovers melanoma? Patterns from a population-based survey.

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.1992;26:914-919.39 American Cancer Society. How to Do a Skin Self-Exam. Accessed April 19, 2022.40 Guy GP, Berkowitz Z and Watson M. Estimated Cost of Sunburn-Associated Visits to US Hospital Emergency Departments.

Can you live a long life after skin cancer?

Doctor’s Response – Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, It is the leading cause of cancer death in women age 25-30 and the second leading cause of cancer death in women age 30-35. The amount of time you have to live after being diagnosed with melanoma depends on the stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis, as well your age, overall health, and whether you have other medical conditions.

The cure rate is relatively high in the early stages. Once the cancer has spread (metastasized) to other parts of the body the survival rate is much lower. Life expectancy for cancers is often expressed as a 5-year survival rate (the percent of patients who will be alive 5 years after diagnosis). The overall average 5-year survival rate for all patients with melanoma is 92%.

This means 92 of every 100 people diagnosed with melanoma will be alive in 5 years. In the very early stages the 5-year survival rate is 99%. Once melanoma has spread to the lymph nodes the 5-year survival rate is 63%. If melanoma spreads to other parts of the body, the 5-year survival drops to just 20%.

the anatomic depth of penetration,ulceration,mitotic activity (rate of cell dividing),gene expression studies, andstage of the melanoma.

This is why it is of great importance to remove the entire melanoma at its earliest stage to preclude the possibility of metastatic spread, as well as determining the accurate thickness of the tumor, In addition, new genetic tests are available that can help predict a particular tumor’s sensitivity of a variety drug regimens.

For example, patients whose melanoma expresses a BRAF mutation are likely to respond to vemurafenib and dabrafenib with a substantial prolongation of overall survival. Other mutations signify that other drugs are more likely to be effective. For more information, read our full medical article on melanoma.

References Gary W. Cole, MD, FAAD coauthored this article REFERENCES: American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Melanoma: Statistics. July 2016.7 January 2019, Melanoma Research Foundation. Melanoma Facts and Stats.8 January 2018.7 January 2019,

What is skin cancer survival rate?

Get the facts about skin cancer, the most common cancer in the United States and worldwide.

  • 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.
  • More than 2 people die of skin cancer in the U.S. every hour.
  • Having 5 or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma.
  • When detected early, the 5-year survival rate for melanoma is 99 percent.

There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to skin cancer, so make sure you know all the facts. You can #SharetheFacts on social media by downloading images from our Skin Cancer Awareness Toolkit. For the latest news, visit our Press Room,

  • In the U.S., more than 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day. More than two people die of the disease every hour.1,2, 9
  • More than 5.4 million cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer were treated in over 3.3 million people in the U.S. in 2012, the most recent year new statistics were available.1
  • More people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined.2
  • At least one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.3
  • Actinic keratosis is the most common precancer; it affects more than 58 million Americans.4
  • The annual cost of treating skin cancers in the U.S. is estimated at $8.1 billion: about $4.8 billion for nonmelanoma skin cancers and $3.3 billion for melanoma.5
  • The diagnosis and treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancers in the U.S. increased by 77 percent between 1994 and 2014.6
  • About 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.7
  • Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer. An estimated 3.6 million cases of BCC are diagnosed in the U.S. each year.8,1
  • Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer. An estimated 1.8 million cases of SCC are diagnosed in the U.S. each year.8,1
  • The latest figures suggest that more than 15,000 people die of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in the U.S. each year 9 — more than twice as many as from melanoma.
  • More than 5,400 people worldwide die of nonmelanoma skin cancer every month.27
  • Organ transplant patients are approximately 100 times more likely than the general public to develop squamous cell carcinoma.10
  • Regular daily use of an SPF 15 or higher sunscreen reduces the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by about 40 percent.11
  • Incidence rates of Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer, increased by 95 percent from 2000 to 2013.40
  • It’s estimated that the number of new melanoma cases diagnosed in 2022 will decrease by 4.7 percent.2
  • The number of melanoma deaths is expected to increase by 6.5 percent in 2022.2
  • An estimated 197,700 cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2022. Of those, 97,920 cases will be in situ (noninvasive), confined to the epidermis (the top layer of skin), and 99,780 cases will be invasive, penetrating the epidermis into the skin’s second layer (the dermis). Of the invasive cases, 57,180 will be men and 42,600 be women.2
  • In the past decade (2012 – 2022), the number of new invasive melanoma cases diagnosed annually increased by 31 percent.2
  • An estimated 7,650 people will die of melanoma in 2022. Of those, 5,080 will be men and 2,570 will be women.2
  • The vast majority of melanomas are caused by the sun. In fact, one UK study found that about 86 percent of melanomas can be attributed to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.12
  • Compared with stage I melanoma patients treated within 30 days of being biopsied, those treated 30 to 59 days after biopsy have a 5 percent higher risk of dying from the disease, and those treated more than 119 days after biopsy have a 41 percent higher risk.13
  • Across all stages of melanoma, the average five-year survival rate in the U.S. is 93 percent. The estimated five-year survival rate for patients whose melanoma is detected early is about 99 percent. The survival rate falls to 68 percent when the disease reaches the lymph nodes and 30 percent when the disease metastasizes to distant organs.2
  • Only 20 to 30 percent of melanomas are found in existing moles, while 70 to 80 percent arise on apparently normal skin.14
  • On average, a person’s risk for melanoma doubles if they have had more than five sunburns, 15 but just one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person’s chances of developing melanoma later in life.39
  • Regular daily use of an SPF 15 or higher sunscreen reduces the risk of developing melanoma by 50 percent.16
  • Melanoma accounts for 6 percent of new cancer cases in men, and 5 percent of new cancer cases in women.2
  • Men age 49 and under have a higher probability of developing melanoma than any other cancer.2
  • From ages 15 to 39, men are 55 percent more likely to die of melanoma than women in the same age group.17
  • Women age 49 and under are more likely to develop melanoma than any other cancer except breast and thyroid cancers.2
  • From age 50 on, significantly more men develop melanoma than women. The majority of people who develop melanoma are white men over age 55. But until age 49, significantly more non-Hispanic white women develop melanoma than white men (one in 157 women versus one in 233 men). Overall, one in 27 white men and one in 40 white women will develop melanoma in their lifetime.2
  • Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a proven human carcinogen.18
  • The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an affiliate of the World Health Organization, includes ultraviolet (UV) tanning devices in its Group 1, a list of agents that are cancer-causing to humans. Group 1 also includes agents such as plutonium, cigarettes and solar UV radiation.19
  • Ultraviolet (UV) tanning devices were reclassified by the FDA from Class I (low risk) to Class II (moderate to high risk) devices as of September 2, 2014.20
  • Indoor tanning devices can emit UV radiation in amounts 10 to 15 times higher than the sun at its peak intensity.41
  • Nineteen states plus the District of Columbia prohibit people younger than 18 from using indoor tanning devices: California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, West Virginia and Maryland. Oregon and Washington prohibit those under age 18 from using indoor tanning devices unless a prescription is provided.21
  • Brazil and Australia have banned indoor tanning altogether. Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom have banned indoor tanning for people younger than age 18.22
  • The cost of direct medical care for skin cancer cases attributable to indoor tanning is $343.1 million annually in the U.S.23
  • More than 419,000 cases of skin cancer in the U.S. each year are linked to indoor tanning, including about 245,000 basal cell carcinomas, 168,000 squamous cell carcinomas and 6,200 melanomas.24
  • More people develop skin cancer because of indoor tanning than develop lung cancer because of smoking.24
  • Those who have ever tanned indoors have a 83 percent increased risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma 43 and a 29 percent increased risk of developing basal cell carcinoma.24
  • Any history of indoor tanning increases the risk of developing basal cell carcinoma before age 40 by 69 percent.25
  • Women who have ever tanned indoors are six times more likely to be diagnosed with melanoma in their 20s than those who have never tanned indoors. At all ages, the more women tan indoors, the higher their risk of developing melanoma.26
  • One study observing 63 women diagnosed with melanoma before age 30 found that 61 of them (97 percent) had used tanning beds.26
  • People who first use a tanning bed before age 35 increase their risk for melanoma by 75 percent.28
  • Indoor tanning among U.S. high school students decreased by 53 percent between 2009 and 2015.29
  • An estimated 90 percent of skin aging is caused by the sun.30
  • People who use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher daily show 24 percent less skin aging than those who do not use sunscreen daily.31
  • Sun damage is cumulative. Only about 23 percent of lifetime exposure occurs by age 18.32
Ages Average Accumulated Sun Exposure*
1-18 23 percent
19-40 47 percent
41-59 74 percent
60-78 100 percent
*Based on a 78-year life span

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  • The estimated five-year melanoma survival rate for Black patients is only 71 percent, versus 93 percent for white patients.2
  • Skin cancer represents approximately 2 to 4 percent of all cancers in Asians.33
  • Skin cancer represents 4 to 5 percent of all cancers in Hispanics.38
  • Skin cancer represents 1 to 2 percent of all cancers in Black people.3
  • Melanomas in Black people, Asians and native Hawaiians most often occur on nonexposed skin with less pigment, with up to 60 to 75 percent of tumors arising on the palms, soles, mucous membranes and nail regions.33
  • In nonwhites, the plantar portion of the foot is often the most common site of skin cancer, being involved in 30 to 40 percent of cases.38
  • Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer in Black people.33
  • Late-stage melanoma diagnoses are more prevalent among Hispanic and Black people than non-Hispanic white people; 52 percent of non-Hispanic black patients and 26 percent of Hispanic patients receive an initial diagnosis of advanced-stage melanoma, versus 16 percent of non-Hispanic white patients.34
  • People of colo r have higher percentages of acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM, melanoma of the palms, soles and nailbeds) than Caucasians, whereas superficial spreading melanoma is the most frequent subtype in Caucasians and Hispanics.38
    • Melanoma in children and adolescents accounts for a tiny percentage of all new melanoma cases in the United States, with about 400 cases a year in children under 20 years old.45
    • Skin cancers account for 3 percent of pediatric cancers.44
    • Between 2005 and 2015, the melanoma incidence in 10 to 29-year-olds dropped about 4 percent per year among males and 4.5 percent per year among females.42
    • The treatment of childhood melanoma is often delayed due to misdiagnosis of pigmented lesions, which occurs up to 40 percent of the time.36