A 36-year-old member asked:
What's basal cell cancer?
3 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in

Dr. Ed Friedlanderanswered
Pathology 45 years experience
Fairly tame but...: It's a skin cancer usually from sun exposure. Surgical excision almost always results in a cure, and moh's microsurgery can leave almost no scar if that matters. It rarely spreads to remote sites, but it is quite capable of eating through your skull and into your brain if you choose to ignore it. Good luck.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. M. Christine Leeanswered
Dermatology 29 years experience
Most common skin CA: Most common skin cancer, spreads locally and can be destructive, but not fatal. Occurs most often on sun exposed areas. This cancer does not spread thru the lymphatics or bloodstream like squamous cell or melanoma. But important to get treated or can cause great damage (ie: erode into the nose, eyes, ears, spread into the brain, go deep in the nerves and muscles causing damage).
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Devon Websteranswered
Medical Oncology 23 years experience
Skin cancer: This skin cancer commonly looks like a flesh-colored nodule with a hole chewed out of the center. It might not catch your attention at first. However, it needs to be removed early because over time it invades more deeply and requires a much larger surgery. Any nodule that could be a basal cell carcinoma should be removed. See the picture for an example.
4.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 48-year-old member asked:
Can basal cell cancer spread?
7 doctor answers • 18 doctors weighed in

Dr. Morris Westfriedanswered
Dermatology 47 years experience
Locally: There are a few people who are usually older or have a poor immune system, but typically basal cell carcinomas are locally invasive. There are areas such as the eyelid, inside the ear, and nose where you have to be careful to adequately treat basal cell carcinomas with mohs surgery to totally remove the cancer.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Can basal cell cancer be infectious?
3 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

Dr. Morris Westfriedanswered
Dermatology 47 years experience
No: If it ulcerates it could become secondarily infected but only of extensive and deep.
6.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 27-year-old member asked:
Can basal cell cancer be the same color as skin?
4 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in

Dr. Morris Westfriedanswered
Dermatology 47 years experience
Unlikely: There is a difference in color. Between the basal cell and skin but part of the basal cell may not be readily noticeable until a biopsy and be the same colr as the skin.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Apr 11, 2015
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