The most common form of cancer in the country and across the world is skin cancer. There are several categories under which skin cancer is classified.

Treatment and prognosis are based on the type of cancer and that is why it’s important to be aware of the most common forms of skin cancer. Statistics show that when detected in time, the crucial five-year survival rate for melanoma (one of the most aggressive forms) is nearly 99%.

Facts of skin cancer

• The skin consists of several layers known as the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous layer of fat.
• These layers consist of different types of cells, such as basal cells, squamous cells, and melanocytes.
• Skin cancers are named after the cells that are affected by cancer.

Most common types of skin cancer

Basal Cell Carcinoma
This is the most common, but least dangerous form of skin cancer, and nearly 4 million cases are diagnosed every year in the country.

• This form of cancer originates in the basal cells of the skin, in the bottom-most layer of the epidermis.
• Basal cells are those that rise through the layers of skin to replace the flaking squamous cells in the upper-most layer.
• It generally occurs in the region of the body that is most exposed to the sun, such as the head and neck.
• One of the characteristics of basal cell sarcoma is that it grows very slowly and rarely metastasizes to other organs or parts of the body.
• However, it can affect lymph nodes and other parts of the body if left undetected or untreated.
• Recurrence is more common in this form of cancer.

Squamous Cell Sarcoma
This is the next common form of skin cancer, and nearly two out of ten skin cancers diagnosed fall into this category.

• Squamous cell carcinoma has its origin in the squamous cells present in the upper layers of the epidermis.
• They most frequently occur in sun-exposed areas such as the face, lips, neck, ears, back of the hands, etc.
• Another location could be old scars and sores on the skin.
• They sometimes appear in the genital region.
• They respond well to treatment if detected early, but are more likely than basal cell cancers to spread to other regions of the body
• They grow slowly but can invade the layer of subcutaneous fat and spread through this route.

Melanoma
One of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer is melanoma. It can spread rapidly to other parts of the body in as short a time as six weeks if not detected and treated in time.

• This form of cancer attacks the melanocyte cells of the skin.
• These cells are responsible for the skin’s pigment.
• There are four different types of melanoma: Nodular, Superficial Spreading, Lentigo Maligna, Acral Lentiginous. The first three are visible on the top layers of the skin, while the last one originates deep inside.
• It’s important to watch the behavior of large, changing moles on the skin as they signal early symptoms of melanoma.