Non-melanoma skin cancer is not always obvious when it first develops; in fact, you may well have a cancerous growth on or just below your skin for months and non-melanoma skin cancer -- like basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, the two most common forms of skin cancer -- does not initially cause other symptoms like physical pain or a sense of illness. Thus detection on the skin is the only reliable way to detect skin cancer early, and early detection is the only reliable way to get the best treatment for skin cancer on Long Island, New York. So you need to know what you're looking for.
If you find images of skin cancer, you will see all of the following common non-melanoma skin cancer symptoms:
If you spot any of these potential skin cancer symptoms, you need to get to a skin cancer specialist on Long Island right away, because the faster you start the best skin cancer treatment for your diagnosis, the faster you can beat the disease and get on with your life.
Basal cell skin cancer is one of the slowest growing forms of skin cancer and for most patients, once identified, it can be removed completely and without complication. You may have a basal cell carcinoma for many months without knowing it and still be able to get your skin cancer cured completely without lasting adverse effects. That said, left untreated indefinitely, basal cell cancer can and will spread, creating a larger issue on your skin and potentially much more serious health risk if the skin cancer penetrates down into your skin and even into bones or other organs. Once basal cell cancer metastasizes like that, your health is at serious risk, and mortality becomes an issue.
Squamous cell skin cancer is the second most common type of skin cancer after basal cell, and all told the several types of non-melanoma skin cancer are the most common form of cancer in America today. (The most common forms of cancer on earth are lung cancer and breast cancer, for reference.) Squamous cell cancer spreads more rapidly than basal cell skin cancer, and thus it is more dangerous and potentially life-threatening. But caught and treated swiftly, squamous cell cancer is as curable as basal cell carcinoma.
For some perspective on how dangerous non-melanoma skin cancer is, some types of melanoma, the much more serious type of skin cancer, can become life threatening in just six weeks without treatment. Melanoma accounts for just 5% of skin cancer cases but more than 75% of skin cancer deaths.
Your Long Island, New York skin cancer doctors will likely recommend one of the following skin cancer treatment options based on the type, size, location, and level of development and spread of your non-melanoma skin cancer: