Of the different types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma is the most common. According to the American Cancer Society, about eight in every 10 skin cancers are of the basal type. These cancers usually develop on areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun and tend to be slow-growing tumors. There are several different subtypes of basal cell carcinoma; some of the different types may be more aggressive than others.
Nodular Subtype
According to Frank E. Lucente and colleagues in the 2004 textbook "Essentials of Otolaryngology," nodular basal cell carcinoma is the most common subtype, accounting for 60 to 80 percent of all basal cell cancers. This type of cancer is dome-shaped with a depressed area in the center of the lesion; the lesion may also have tiny visible blood vessels on the surface. Nodular basal cell cancer often bleeds from trauma. These tumors often appear on the face and can be destructive, according to the Skin Cancer Guide website.
Pigmented Subtype
As noted in the "2002 Atlas of Clinical Dermatology" by Anthony Du Vivier and colleagues, the pigmented subtype of basal cell cancer has some of the same features of nodular basal cell carcinoma. The amount of pigment in this tumor can vary and it may look like a malignant melanoma. According to the Skin Cancer Guide website, pigmented basal cell carcinomas are not very common.
Superficial Subtype
Superficial basal cell carcinomas are scaly and pinkish-red; these lesions can resemble precancerous skin lesions called actinic keratoses. These lesions can also look like a patch of eczema or psoriasis, as noted on the Skin Cancer Guide website. This type mainly develops on the trunk, arms and legs, according to Fred F. Ferri in the 2009 book "Ferri's Color Atlas and Text of Clinical Medicine."
Cystic Subtype
In the cystic basal cell cancer subtype, there is a papule or bump that separates into several cysts. This type of tumor can become very large and can be confused for a noncancerous cyst, as noted by Anthony Du Vivier and colleagues in the "2002 Atlas of Clinical Dermatology."
Morpheaform Subtype
The morpheaform subtype is more difficult to diagnose; because of the appearance of the tumor, it does not look like a tumor, according to Anthony Du Vivier and colleagues in the "2002 Atlas of Clinical Dermatology." This type is often flat and looks like a scar, and since it is difficult to diagnose, the tumor may have already spread at the time of diagnosis. The margins are often irregular, so clean surgical margins may be difficult to obtain, according to the Skin Cancer Guide website. This subtype accounts for 10 to 20 percent of basal cell carcinomas, according to Frank E. Lucente and colleagues in the 2004 textbook "Essentials of Otolaryngology."
References
- "Essentials of Otolaryngology"; Frank E. Lucente, Gady Har-El; 2004.
- "Ferri's Color Atlas and Text of Clinical Medicine"; Fred F. Ferri; 2009.
- "Atlas of Clinical Dermatology"; Anthony Du Vivier, Phillip H. McKee; 2002.
- "Bethesda Handbook of Clinical Oncology"; Jame Abraham, Carmen J. Allegra, James L Gulley, James Gulley; 2010.
- Skin Cancer Guide: What Is Basal Cell Cancer
