How does skin cancer grow?

Varies: Skin cancer grows both sideways and. In depth. There are different kinds of skin cancers which have different patterns of growth. Basal cell carcinoma erodes the skin but rarely spreads to other parts of the body. Squamous cell carcinoma spreads locally but can also spread through lymph or blood vessels or even along nerve fibers. Melanoma, can spread locally and by blood, nerve amd lymph.

Local growth mostly: Mostly skin cancers (like all cancers) grow locally, spreading both side to side as well as down. For melanomas in particular, deep growth is more dangerous. Cancers also can jump (or metastasize) via lymphatic vessels or blood vessels. This can lead to spread to local lymph nodes or distant sites like the lungs, liver, brain, etc.