Jill R. Slater-Freedberg MD, and Kenneth A. Arndt, MD
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer found in humans. Over 600,000 cases are diagnosed in the United States each year, and the number is growing by 3.4 percent a year. One in every three new cancers is a skin cancer. It is estimated that 40 to 50 percent of fair-skinned people who live to be 65 years old will have at least one skin cancer ( see also "Melanoma" ). Ten years ago, skin cancer was unusual in those under 40, but now it is seen regularly in younger people. It is not uncommon in people in their twenties.
The most prevalent types of skin cancer—basal cell and squamous cell—are two to three times more common in men than in women. Both are almost always curable.
Types Basal cell cancer (BCC) is the most common form of all skin cancers, affecting more than 400,000 people each year. It develops in the outermost layer of the skin, the epidermis, on hair-bearing surfaces. The appearance of BCC can vary considerably. The most common type is the nodular basal cell carcinoma , a flesh-colored (cream to pink) round or oval translucent nodule with overlying small blood vessels and a pearly-appearing rolled border. This tumor slowly grows sideways. It may eventually ulcerate and form a crust over the center as it outgrows its blood supply.
