What is the difference between basal cell and squamous cell

Other than its presence, a lump or lesion often causes no noticeable symptoms in its early stages. As a result, it might not be noticeable until it becomes relatively large, when it may itch, bleed, or cause pain.

A raised edge often rings a central ulcer, and abnormal-looking blood vessels might become visible. These may emerge as blue, brown, or black areas. Alternatively, they may be pink growths or pale or yellow areas that resemble scars.

Due to this wide range of appearances, obtaining an accurate diagnosis from a doctor is essential. BCC might appear scaly, and it often causes recurrent crusting or bleeding. When it crusts over, it may resemble a healing scab, but sores can still appear.

People with BCC often seek medical advice when they discover a sore that fails to heal. SCC typically presents as persistent, thick, rough, scaly patches or as a firm pink lump with a flat, scaly, and crusted surface. These lesions may bleed if a person bumps, scratches, or scrapes them. While they sometimes resemble warts , they can also appear as open sores with a crusted surface or raised edge. It is vital to seek the opinion of a healthcare professional regarding the development of any new growths or any changes in preexisting skin growths or sores.

To diagnose any form of skin cancer, a doctor will carry out a physical examination. They will examine the skin lesion and record its size, shape, texture, and other physical attributes. They may also take a photo of the lesion for specialist review or to record its current size and appearance for future comparisons. The doctor will often check the rest of the body for additional skin symptoms. They will also take a medical history focusing on the lesion and any related conditions, such as sunburn.

A doctor will urgently refer suspected cases of SCC for specialist investigation and treatment due to their tendency to spread. Suspected BCC tumors do not require such urgent referral as they are less likely to spread. If they think that a lesion may be cancerous, the doctor is also likely to perform a biopsy. There are four different types of skin biopsy, all of which involve the removal of skin tissue for laboratory assessment.

After taking the tissue sample, the doctor will send it to a pathology laboratory for examination under a microscope. The pathology team will assess the cells to look for cancerous traits.

If cancer is present, they will determine its type. Further investigations are not usually necessary for people with BCC as it rarely spreads. However, individuals with SCC may need to undergo tests for cancer in other tissues. If a doctor does diagnose skin cancer, they will then designate it a stage. To do this, they will assess its size and depth and the extent to which it has spread to local and distant sites in the body, such as nearby lymph nodes or other organs.

To help them stage cancer, the doctor may also take tissue from lymph nodes near the site of the carcinoma. They will often use a fine-needle biopsy for laboratory examination. Staging may not take place until after the surgical removal of a skin tumor. The stages range from 0 to 4, with 0 representing carcinoma in situ, which affects only the top layer of the skin. Stage 4 carcinoma refers to a carcinoma that has spread to other parts of the body. The stages between describe lesion size, tissue depth, and any nearby invasion.

The treatment options for both types of carcinoma are similar, although the medical team places greater emphasis on monitoring people with SCC for signs of metastasis. The specific treatment or treatments that the doctor recommends will depend on the size, type, stage, and location of the carcinoma.

Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the two most common types of skin cancers. According to the American Cancer Society , over 5 million cases of basal cell and squamous cell cancers are diagnosed every year. Other than the disparities in occurrence, what is the difference between basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas?

You may also be wondering is squamous cell worse than basal cell, or vice versa. Here is some insight. Basal cell carcinoma begins in the basal cells—a type of cell within the skin that produces new skin cells as old ones die off. Basal cell carcinoma often appears as a slightly transparent bump on the skin, though it can take other forms. Most basal cell carcinomas are thought to be caused by long-term exposure to ultraviolet UV radiation from sunlight and commercial tanning beds.

Though, other causes can contribute to the risk and development of basal cell carcinoma. The symptoms of basal cell carcinoma occasionally resemble the features of non-cancerous skin conditions, like psoriasis or eczema. This represented a greater than fold increase in incidence compared with the general population. Risk factors for new tumors included male sex, age older than 60 years, greater number of prior skin cancers, severe actinic skin damage, and increased ease of burning with sun exposure.

Smoking history did not affect the rate of recurrent basal cell carcinoma. Recurrent skin cancers tended to be the same cell type as initial tumors. Because of inconsistent reporting and monitoring, there are no clear guidelines for follow-up of basal cell carcinoma.

In patients with squamous cell carcinoma, up to 95 percent of metastases and local recurrences are detected within five years of initial treatment, with 70 to 90 percent occurring within the first two years. Thus, consistent follow-up for five years after treatment of squamous cell carcinoma is prudent. Data Sources: A Medline search included randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews.

Keywords were basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, nonmelanoma skin cancer, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and screening. Limits included English language, humans, and adults 19 years and older.

Search dates: August and June Already a member or subscriber? Log in. Interested in AAFP membership? Learn more. Address correspondence to Jonathon M. Reprints are not available from the author.

Alam M, Ratner D. Cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma. N Engl J Med. Basal cell carcinoma: still an enigma. Arch Dermatol. Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin excluding lip and oral mucosa. J Am Acad Dermatol. Screening for skin cancer: a clinical practice guideline. June 19, Accessed November 22, Marcil I, Stern RS.

Risk of developing a subsequent nonmelanoma skin cancer in patients with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer: a critical review of the literature and meta-analysis. Skin cancer in kidney and heart transplant recipients and different long-term immunosuppressive therapy regimens. Screening for skin cancer: U. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Ann Intern Med. Cancer screening in the United States, a review of current American Cancer Society guidelines and issues in cancer screening.

CA Cancer J Clin. Use of tanning devices and risk of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst. Guidelines for school programs to prevent skin cancer. Histologic pattern analysis of basal cell carcinoma. Study of a series of consecutive neoplasms. Cockerell CJ. Mechanisms of metastasis. Malignant potential of actinic keratoses and the controversy over treatment. A patient-oriented perspective. Malignant transformation of solar keratoses to squamous cell carcinoma.

Spontaneous remission of solar keratoses: the case for conservative management. Br J Dermatol. Pigmented basal cell carcinoma: investigation of 70 cases.

Morpheaform basal-cell epitheliomas. A study of subclinical extensions in a series of 51 cases. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. Kossard S, Rosen R. Cutaneous Bowen's disease. An analysis of cases according to age, sex, and site. Exfoliative cytology as a diagnostic test for basal cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis. A systematic review of treatment modalities for primary basal cell carcinoma.

Recurrent basal cell carcinoma after incomplete resection. Recurrence rates of treated basal cell carcinoma. Part 2: curettage-electrodesiccation. Torre D. Cryosurgery of basal cell carcinoma. Topical imiquimod or fluorouracil therapy for basal and squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review.

Multiprofessional guidelines for the management of the patient with primary cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Interventions for nonmetastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. Cochrane Database Syst Rev.

Sturm HM. They can also develop in scars or chronic skin sores elsewhere. They sometimes start in actinic keratoses described below. Less often, they form in the skin of the genital area. Squamous cell cancers can usually be removed completely or treated in other ways , although they are more likely than basal cell cancers to grow into deeper layers of skin and spread to other parts of the body.

Actinic keratosis AK , also known as solar keratosis , is a pre-cancerous skin condition caused by too much exposure to the sun. Usually they start on the face, ears, backs of the hands, and arms of middle-aged or older people with fair skin, although they can occur on other sun-exposed areas.

People who have them usually develop more than one. AKs tend to grow slowly and usually do not cause any symptoms although some might be itchy or sore.

They sometimes go away on their own, but they may come back. A small percentage of AKs may turn into squamous cell skin cancers. Most AKs do not become cancer, but it can be hard sometimes to tell them apart from true skin cancers, so doctors often recommend treating them.