Basal Cell Carcinoma: What is it? Why Grow? Symptoms, Treatment and Precautions

Type of skin cancer that starts in the basal cells.

It is one of the least risky types of skin cancer that grow in areas where you get a lot of sun. The advantage of Basal Cell Carcinoma is that while it is diagnosed early it can be cured quickly and without major complications.

Because it is a minimally invasive type of cancer, it is not usual for it to spread through the body, but it can get close to the bone or other tissue under the affected skin.

The tumors arise as small bright lumps, usually grow in the nose or other extremities of the face, but sometimes develop in other parts of the body such as the back, arms and legs.

People with white skin are more prone to suffer from this type of cancer.

Its growth is usually very slow and tends to appear after many years to continuous or prolonged exposure to the sun.

It also arises from the continuous use of tanning beds.

Why do they grow?

The growth is activated by the ultraviolet rays of the sun and by the radiations emitted by the tanning rooms.

This cancerous carnosity arises because the DNA of the skin cells is damaged by prolonged interaction with ultraviolet rays.

Symptoms or characteristics of Basal Cell Carcinoma

A growth of the dome-shaped skin having blood vessels is usually observed. It can be brown, pink or black.

Over time a small lump is created that looks like a flesh-colored mole or a pimple that does not go away, or bright pink or red patches that are slightly scaly and can bleed easily.

Treatment

These are some of the treatment options that your doctor may suggest:

Extract the tumor:  the place to intervene is numbed, then the tumor will be scraped with a spoon-shaped device. A small surrounding area of ​​normal looking skin will be cut and sent to a laboratory.

Scrape the tumor and kill the cancer cells: anesthesia is placed in the area to be treated, then a curette is used, then any other cancer cell is removed with an electric needle.

Freeze cancer cells: cancer cells are removed by freezing them with liquid nitrogen.

Radiation therapy: X-rays are used to destroy cancer cells, this treatment is used for several weeks.

Mohs surgery: it is a technique where the tumor is removed by layer, removing the tissue in a short time, checking the sample until it detects cancer tissue.

After the intervention in Basal Cell Carcinoma, you must continue with the medical treatment recommended by a specialist, such as:

  • Apply creams such as fluorouracil or imiquimod to the affected area for a few weeks after removing the cancer tissue.
  • The treating doctor may prescribe medications in pills such as Erivedge (vismodegib) if your basal cell carcinoma has spread to other parts of the body.

Precautions with Basal Cell Carcinoma

If you have suffered from Basal Cell Carcinoma and have been treated, you should continually check your skin for any new growth or other abnormality in the skin and avoid excessive exposure to the sun, especially at times when ultraviolet rays are most damaging (between 10 am and 2 pm).

It is important to apply sunscreen daily and cover all areas of the skin that will be exposed to the sun, to protect themselves and reduce the chances of suffering again from Basal Cell Carcinoma.

Although Basocellular Carcinoma is not a degenerative and invasive cancer, there are possibilities as in any disease to get complicated if preventive measures are not taken to ensure an adequate recovery for the injured skin.

Remember to adopt a routine of life in which apply rigorously every 60 to 80 minutes of sunscreen especially when exposure to the sun is imminent.

If Basal Cell Carcinoma was removed from the face, you should use wide-brimmed hats to cover your face as well as possible from the sun’s reflections, as well as long-sleeved shirts and long pants.

Sometimes Basocellular Carcinomas can grow again, so it is important to carefully check the skin for unusual growths and have them checked immediately by the attending physician to avoid future complications.