Symptoms

People with basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma may experience the following symptoms. Sometimes, people with basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma do not show any of these symptoms. Or, these symptoms may be caused by a medical condition that is not cancer. The skin features that people with basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma frequently develop are listed below. If you are concerned about a symptom or skin feature on this list, please talk with your doctor.

Changes in the skin are the main warning sign for skin cancer. Each type of skin cancer can appear differently, and an accurate diagnosis by a doctor or other health-care professional is essential.

For basal cell cancer, two or more of the following features may be present:

• An open sore that bleeds, oozes, or crusts, and remains open for several weeks
  
  
• A reddish, raised patch or irritated area that may crust or itch, but rarely hurts
  
  
• A shiny pink, red, pearly white or translucent bump
  
  
• A pink growth with an elevated border and crusted central indentation
  
  
• A scar-like, white, yellow, or waxy area, often with a poorly defined border

Squamous cell cancer can often crust and bleed and appears as:

• A wart-like growth
  
  
• A persistent, scaly red patch with irregular borders that may bleed easily
  
  
• An open sore that persists for weeks
  
  
• An elevated growth with a rough surface and a central depression

Early detection: Finding skin cancer early

Regular self-examinations of the skin may help find skin cancer early. Examinations should be performed in front of a full-length mirror in a brightly lit room. It helps to have another person check the scalp and back of the neck. Non-melanoma skin cancer most often begins on skin that has frequently been exposed to the sun.

Include the following steps in a skin self-examination:

• Examine the front and back of the entire body in a mirror, then the right and left sides, with arms raised.
  
  
• Bend the elbows and look carefully at the outer and inner forearms, upper arms (especially the hard-to-see back portion), and hands.
  
  
• Look at the front, sides, and back of the legs and feet, including the soles and the spaces between the toes.
  
  
• Part the hair to lift it and examine the back of the neck and scalp with a hand mirror.
  
  
• Check the back, genital area, and buttocks with a hand mirror

A doctor should be consulted if you find:

• Growths on the skin that match any symptoms on either of the above lists
  
  
• New growth on the skin
  
  
• Suspicious changes in an existing mole or spot
  
  
• A sore that doesn't heal within two weeks