Symptoms of Skin Cancer

Symptoms of Skin Cancer are different depending on the skin cancer

Some skin cancers are flat and some are raised. Raised skin cancers are seen in:

• Malignant melanoma
• Basal cell cancer

Flat skin cancers are squamous cell cancers.
Flat and scaly skin cancers are most likely squamous cell cancer.

A dome shaped cancer is more likely to be basal cell cancer although, if it has pigment, it might be a malignant melanoma. The skin cancer signs are different for the different types of skin cancer.

Skin cancer signs include ulceration or scabbing of the skin cancer. It can ooze fluid or blood. A skin cancer can seem like a sore that does not heal. Skin cancer usually does not hurt or itch.

First Skin Cancer Warning Signs

The first symptoms of skin cancer you might notice include a new growth in the skin. You might also notice a change in a mole that has been stable for a long time. If you have a sore that doesn’t heal, see your doctor to be checked for cancer.

Remember that most moles are benign and don’t reflect skin cancer. These are moles that don’t need to be biopsied or sampled. Only moles that have changed or are in an unattractive place need to be removed with surgery.

Other skin lesions that aren’t skin cancer warning signs include most birthmarks, acquired moles in adolescence or liver spots that come with age. Cherry angiomas are red, dome shaped spots that show up on the back and chest. They are not skin cancer signs. You don’t have to do anything with these unless they change.

Skin tags are soft flaps of skin that grow on the armpits or on the neck. They are not skin cancer signs and can be left alone. Actinic keratoses are red, slightly scaly patches that show up on sun damaged skin. They can turn into squamous cell skin cancer and should be removed with cryotherapy (freezing).

What does Melanoma Look Like?

Many people want to know what does melanoma look like, because melanoma can be so deadly. Melanoma is the only skin cancer that is pigmented. That means it can be brown, black, pink or yellow in color. Many times it is multicolored - a sure sign of melanoma.

When you pay attention to what does melanoma look like, you can avoid the dangers of that skin cancer. The skin cancer warning signs of malignant melanoma are tricky because you often don’t feel any different in the early stages. Only if you notice one of the skin cancer warning signs do you find the cancer.

Skin Cancer Warning Signs of Malignant Melanoma

The skin cancer signs of malignant melanoma include having:

• A mole with an irregular border
• A multicolored mole
• The pigment be variable
• The pigment extended beyond the raised portion of the mole

You shouldn’t wait until the mole ulcerates or changes further to seek treatment. Ninety-five percent of those with early malignant melanoma survive the cancer. If the cancer spreads to other body areas, less than 10 percent of those people survive past 5 years.

You should do a monthly self-exam of your moles and freckles. You should look for changes in the moles that look like they could be skin cancer signs. Your doctor should check your moles and skin lesions every year to make sure he doesn’t see skin cancer warning signs.

Where does skin cancer develop?

If you’re looking for skin cancer signs, you need to know that basal cell cancer usually occurs on the skin exposed to the sun. You can find it on the neck, face, upper chest and upper back. You don’t see it on the arms or hands very much.

Squamous cell cancer usually occurs on the:

• Face
• Upper chest
• Neck
• Upper back
• Arms
• Hands

You can easily see the actinic keratoses as “age spots” on the hands and arms. Show these areas to the doctor for further evaluation.

Malignant melanoma forms on the trunk or legs. These are the same areas that don’t get everyday sun but get intermittent sun exposure. These are the spots that burn the most.

Malignant melanomas form in existing moles but can just grow from nothing. Look for the irregular border and multicolors as skin cancer warning signs to pay attention to.

Summary

The symptoms of skin cancer are very few because it doesn’t hurt and it doesn’t itch. It can bleed or ooze fluid—a sign you should pay attention to. Skin cancers don’t heal well so they can act like a non-healing sore. Look especially on the face, neck, upper chest, upper back and arms or hands for basal cell and squamous cell cancers. Look on the trunk and legs for malignant melanomas.

Written by: Dr. Christine Traxler
Edited by: Margaret Stenerson
May 12, 2010