Basal Cell Carcinoma – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments!

Basal Cell Carcinoma – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments that we should all know. Also,  basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a type of skin cancer that starts in the basal cells. Normal basal cells line the epidermis. It is the skin cells that replace old cells with new ones. Basal cell cancer results in tumors that appear on the surface of the skin. These tumors often look like sores, growths, bumps, scars, or red patches.

While basal cell carcinoma almost never spreads to other places in the body (metastasis), it can still result in disfigurement. In rare cases, it can spread to other parts of the body. If so, it could become fatal. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer . Approximately 4 million cases are diagnosed each year.

Main Symptoms of Basal Cell Carcinoma:  Almost all basal cell carcinomas develop   in parts of the body that are frequently exposed to the sun. Tumors can develop on the face, ears, shoulders, neck, scalp, and arms. In very rare cases, tumors develop in areas that are often not exposed to sunlight.

Basal cell carcinoma  are usually painless. The only symptom is the growth or change in the appearance of the skin. There are several types of basal cell carcinoma . Each one looks different:

Pigmented Basal Cell Carcinoma:  This type appears as a brown, blue, or black lesion that usually has a raised, translucent border.

Superficial Basal Cell Carcinoma: This type takes on the appearance of a reddened patch on the skin, which is usually flat and scaly. It continues to grow and often has a high edge. It usually takes on this appearance when on the back or chest.

Non-Circulating Basal Cell Carcinoma: This type appears as a bump on skin that is white, pale, or pink. It is often translucent, with blood vessels underneath which are visible. This is the most common type of basal cell carcinoma . It usually appears on the neck, ears and face. It can break, bleed and fall off.

Morpheaform Basal Cell Carcinoma : This is the least common type of basal cell carcinoma . It usually resembles a scar-like lesion with a white, waxy appearance and no defined edge. This type of carcinoma may indicate a particularly invasive form of basal cell carcinoma , which is more likely to be disfiguring.

Basal Cell Carcinoma Basosquamous:  This type of carcinoma carries traces of basal cell carcinoma  and squamous cell carcinoma, another type of skin cancer . It is extremely rare, but metastases are more likely to compare with other types of skin cancer.

Main Causes of Basal Cell Carcinoma:  Skin cancers, including basal cell carcinoma , are mostly caused by prolonged exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet (UV) light. These cancers can also be caused by occasional intense exposure that often results in sunburn.

In rarer cases, other factors can cause basal cell carcinoma . These include:

• radiation exposure
• exposure to arsenic
• Complications from scars, infections, vaccines, tattoos, and burns
• Chronic inflammatory skin conditions

Once diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma , there is a strong chance of recurrence.

Basal Cell Carcinoma Risk Factors:  There are a number of risk factors that can increase the likelihood of developing Basal Cell Carcinoma . Some of these risk factors include:

• Having a family history of basal cell carcinoma
• having fair skin
• Having skin that freckles or burns easily
• Having inherited syndromes that cause skin cancer , such as disorders of the skin, nervous system, or endocrine glands
• Having fair skin, red or blonde hair, or light eyes
• being a man

There are other non-genetic risk factors. These include:

• Age, with older age correlated with increased risk
• Chronic exposure to the sun
• Severe burns, especially during childhood
• Living at a higher altitude or sunny location
• exposure to radiotherapy
• exposure to arsenic
• Taking immunosuppressive drugs, especially after transplant surgery

Diagnosis of Basal Cell Carcinoma:  The first step in diagnosing basal cell carcinoma will be a visual inspection by a dermatologist. They will check your skin from edge to edge for skin growths or discolorations. They will also ask about your medical history, including a family history of skin cancer .

If your dermatologist finds any discoloration or growth of concern, they will take a skin biopsy. To do this, they will inject an anesthetic agent into the skin before removing a small sample of the lesion for testing. The biopsy will be viewed under a microscope to look for skin cancer .

Your dermatologist will remove the growth if basal cell carcinoma  is found. If you have an aggressive form of basal cell carcinoma , your doctor may take a biopsy of your lymph nodes to check for metastasis.

Treatment of Basal Cell Carcinoma:  Treatment for basal cell carcinoma involves removing the growth. Your doctor will recommend treatment depending on the type of basal cell carcinoma you have, the size of the lesion, and the location of the lesion. Treatment options include:

Curettage and Electroduction:  In this procedure, the growth is scraped off with a curette. The tumor site is then burned with an electrocautery needle. It is extremely effective, especially in small lesions, although it may not be as effective in aggressive basal cell carcinoma  or high-risk sites. It can leave a round, white scar. This procedure has a 95% success rate.

Excision Surgery:  Your doctor will remove the tumor and the surrounding edge of the normal skin around it with a scalpel. This procedure requires stitches to close the surgical site. This is often used for more advanced BCCs, which are at risk of affecting the surrounding skin. It may leave a small scar. This procedure has a 95% success rate.

Cryosurgery:  Cryosurgery is used for cancers that are thin and do not extend to the skin. Your doctor can freeze and kill cancer cells with liquid nitrogen. This risks nerve damage at the site, which can result in loss of sensation.

No cutting is needed, although anesthesia can be used. The growth will curl or peel. Cryosurgery is most often used for basal cell carcinoma and people with bleeding disorders. It has a success rate between 85 and 90 percent.