Is basal cell carcinoma really cancer?

Basal cell carcinoma is indeed really a cancer, and is in fact the most common type of skin cancer. Fortunately, basal cell carcinoma is relatively slow-growing, but don’t take this to mean you can leave it untreated. Basal cell carcinomas can grow wide and deep if untreated and spread to surrounding bone or tissue. For example, my surgeon told me that a small area of basal cell on the skin, no larger than the size of a pencil eraser, can be the size of a silver dollar under the skin! Get regular skin checks from a doctor, and take good care of your skin!

Cancer is cancer is cancer. Basal cell carcinoma is certainly cancer. A seemingly harmless dry patch of skin can turn out to be basal cell carcinoma requiring an incision that leaves a scar several inches in length and several inches deep. Mohs surgery is quite invasive and is the go-to method for many physicians. This method requires multiple attempts to rid the layers of the skin of cancerous cells if the first attempts are not successful when skin samples are examined. Yes, it is very much cancer.