Basal cell carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer and it is also the most easy to treat. As a result, cases of basal cell carcinoma spreading to other parts of the body are very rare.

The symptoms of basal cell carcinoma can appear anywhere on your body but, typically, they appear on areas that have been exposed to the sun, such as your face, arms, legs, and the backs of your hands. Basal cell carcinoma normally appears as:

• a small, smooth bump on the skin, or
• a flat crusty and scaly red spot.

Basal cell carcinoma is usually painless, but you may experience some itchiness. In some cases, you may notice occasional bleeding from the affected area of skin.

Squamous cell carcinoma

As with basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma is relatively easy to treat. However, with this type of skin cancer there is a higher risk that it will spread to other parts of your body. It is estimated that between 2-6% of cases of squamous cell carcinoma will spread to other parts of the body.

Squamous cell carcinomas normally appear on sun-exposed parts of your body, such as your face, lips, ears, hands, arms, and legs. They usually appear as:

• a firm red lump, or
• a flat scaly and crusted scab-like lesion.

Malignant melanoma

Malignant melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer because it affects a deeper layer of skin than the other types, so the risk of the cancer spreading is much higher. Melanomas can appear anywhere on your body, but the back, legs, arms, and face are the most common sites.

The first sign of a melanoma is either the appearance of a new mole, or a change in the appearance of an existing mole. Normal moles are usually a single color, round, or oval in shape, and are not larger than 6mm (1/4 inch) in diameter.

In contrast, melanomas have an irregular shape, they are more than just one color, and they are often larger than 6mm (1/4 inch) in diameter. In some cases, the melanoma may also be itchy and occasionally bleed.

A good way to tell the difference between a normal mole and a melanoma is to use the 'ABCDE' checklist where:

• A stands for a symmetrical - the melanoma has two very different halves and is an irregular shape,
• B stands for irregular b order - unlike a normal mole, the melanoma has a notched or ragged border,
• C stands for two (or more) c olours - the melanoma will be a mix of two or more colors,
• D stands for large d iameter - unlike most moles, melanomas are larger than 6mm (1/4 inch) in diameter, and
• E stands for raised e levation - the melanoma will feel slightly raised above the surface of the skin.

See your doctor if you notice one, or more, of these characteristics.