What Are the Three Types of Skin Cancer and How Serious Are They?
Basal cell carcinoma: Basal cell is the most common form of skin cancer, affecting more than 800,000 people in the United States per year. Basal cell cancer is named after the cells of the skin that are at the bottom (or base) of the outer layer of skin. Frequent and lengthy exposure to sun is the common cause of this skin cancer, so areas of the body that have a lot of sun exposure are the most likely to develop basal cell cancer, such as the scalp, face, ears, neck, shoulders, and back. People with light skin who burn easily, and people who work in outdoor jobs that exposes them to a lot of sun (for example farmers, construction workers, lifeguards) are at highest risk for developing this type of skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma has an extremely high cure rate and rarely spreads to other parts of the body. Squamous cell carcinoma: Squamous cell is the second most common form of skin cancer, affecting more than 200,000 Americans per year. It is named after the cells in the upper laye
