what's basal cell cancer?

Question

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

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).

Answer 3

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.

Answer 4

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.

Answer 5

Yes, but...: Like all cancers, basal cell cancers grow progressively with time, and will spread and invade nearby tissues. The good news with basal cell cancers, is that it is extremely rare for them to metastasize to lymph nodes or or distant sites. If the primary tumor is completely removed, it should be cured.

Answer 6

Yes: Basal cell cancer spreads locally, invading and destroying tissues as it moves. It does not generally metastasize to remote parts of the body.

Answer 7

Yes: It is important to treat them early to avoid more complicated treatment. Mohs surgery has a 97%cure rate.

Answer 8

Yes: Every once in a while, it spreads to a remote site. However, you might do well to find some pictures of what an untreated, neglected basal cell carcinoma will do locally. Lost / mutilated eyes, lost / mutilated noses, and ulcers opening right into the brain are avoidable if you're treated promptly. Congratulations on finding it -- and good luck with your treatment.

Answer 9

Yes, but unlikely: Basal cell cancers (bcc) are the most common type of cancer on the skin. While they can grow aggressively locally if neglected, they are very unlikely to spread elsewhere in the body. Most bccs can be treated with surgery, curretting, and certain ones can even be treated with a cream. Larger bccs and those in sensitive areas should be treatd by a fellowship trained mohs surgeon.

Answer 10

Yes: Basal cell can continue to spread locally and be destructive if it's not completely removed. It rarely metastasizes and is fatal (unlike squamous cell or melanoma). But it can cause deformities or loss of function (ie: blindness if around the eyes), hearing loss or loss of use of a joint or digit if not treated in time. There are slow growing and aggressive tumor so difficult to predict behavior.

Answer 11

Not really: The primary treatment for basal cell carcinoma is surgical removal. Their are some experimental drugs that have shown effectiveness in advanced disease.

Answer 12

Cryosurgery: Small basal cell carcinomas in non-critical areas can be treated with high cure rates with cryosurgery, freezing the basal cell carcinoma. This results in a scan which will require2-3 weeks to heal. It is an option for people who do not want or can not tolerate traditional surgery. Radiation can also be used but it requires multiple sessions over a 5 week period.

Answer 13

Many options: Very early and superficial basal cell carcinomas may respond to topical anti-cancer creams. Invasive cancers however are most commonly treated with surgical excision. Radiation may occasionally be advised. See a dermatologist or skin cancer surgeon for advice.

Answer 14

Treatable: Basal cell carcinomas are the mildest of all cancers and are treatable with local excision, i.e., cutting out.

Answer 15

If treated not bad: Basal cell cancers are locally invasive cancers, compared to melanomas and squamous cell caners which are lethal. Simple removal by various surgical techniques ( rarely by superficial radiation ) will cure.

Answer 16

Usually surgery: The most common way to treat basal cell cancer is with local surgical removal. Sometimes a special technique called mohs surgery will be recommended. When treated early the cure rates are excellent. See a dermatologist of facial plastic surgeon for treatment advice.

Answer 17

Not cancer: Tumor is a general term for a mass or swelling. Tumors may be benign or malignant. Benign tumors rarely kill.

Answer 18

Origin and spread: Primary cancer of an organs is one that originated in that organ, e.G, lung cancer in smokers. Seconday cancer is one that spread from one organ to another, e.g., lung cancer spreading to liver, brain, bone etc would be secondary cancer for liver, brain, bone etc.

what's basal cell cancer?

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