What is skin cancer?
Skin cancer is an abnormal growth of the skin cells caused by damage to the skin, usually from repeated exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays.1
The three main types of skin cancer are;1
Melanoma
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC)
Squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma are both non-melanoma skin cancers. Melanomas are among the deadliest cancers, accounting for 75 per cent of all skin cancer deaths.3 Less common kinds of skin cancer include Kaposi’s sarcoma, Merkel cell carcinoma and sebaceous gland carcinoma.3
Types of skin cancer
There are two main types of skin cancer, depending on which type of cell the cancer starts in:
Melanoma skin cancer
Melanoma skin cancer develops in the cells that produce melanin, which are the cells that give skin colour.
Learn more
Non-melanoma skin cancer
Non-melanoma skin cancer encompasses all skin cancers that are not melanoma skin cancer
Learn moreStages of skin cancer
Melanoma stages
Melanoma is separated into stages from 0 to IV, which focuses on the depth (or thickness) of the melanoma and if it has spread to the lymph nodes and other organs:5
Stage 0 = less than 0.1mm
Stage I = less than 2mm
Stage II = greater than 2mm
Stage III = the melanoma has spread to the lymph nodes
Stage IV = spread to other areas of the body
Non-melanoma stages
If a skin cancer is suspected, your doctor may perform a biopsy under local anaesthetic to determine the stage of the cancer.1
They may also use the TNM system to stage the cancer, TNM stands for:6
Tumour – the degree to which the tumour has affected other tissue.
Node – is a measure of whether lymph nodes have been affected.
Metastasis – the degree to which the cancer has spread to other organs of the body.
Melanoma signs and symptoms
Melanoma often appears as a dark brown or black skin growth or ulcer. It may look like an ordinary mole, but unlike the common mole:1
It grows more rapidly and shows features of change over time
Its surface may have varying shades of colour
Its surface may be thick and irregular
Its margin may be irregular
Squamous cell carcinoma signs and symptoms
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) appears as a firm irregular fleshy growth that tends to grow quickly over a few weeks or months.1
Symptoms include:6
A thick, scaly red spot
A lump that grows quickly
Tender or sore to touch
A sore that doesn’t seem to heal
Basal cell carcinoma signs and symptoms
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) makes up about 60 per cent of all skin cancers. Symptoms include:3
Flat, indurated whitish or reddish scar
Skin coloured nodule with slight pigmentation and tiny blood vessels and which frequently ulcerates
Thin red plaque
Treatment for skin cancer
There are many different types of treatment for skin cancer. Your treatment will depend on you and your cancer.
Frequently asked questions
Helpful resources
References
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