General Information

 The skin has two layers: outer epidermis and supporting dermis

 The skin can repair and renew itself

 Keeps moisture inside the body

 Millions of dead skin cells are lost each day

 The bottom layer of the epidermis is called the basal layer. It is just above the dermis

 New cells are produced in the basal layer

 The dermis is made up of connective tissue, blood vessels, nerves

 The epidermis and the dermis contain hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands    and nerve endings

 Skin is also the outermost limit of the immune system

 Skin cancers arise in outermost layer of skin

 Are usually on sun exposed skin

 Usually curable with early diagnosis

 Annual average increase

     Basal cell carcinoma is 3%

     Squamous cell carcinomas 3.5%


There are two main types of non-melanoma skin cancer: Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma



Basal Cell Carcinoma

General Information


 Most common (80 % of skin cancers)

 Begins in the skin cells of the epidermis called keratinocytes

 Grows slowly

 Rarely spreads internally

 If untreated can extend to underlying bone or adjacent skin tissue, causing extensive    tissue destruction

 Most patients 45 years and older

 Rare among blacks


Squamous Cell Carcinoma


 Less common than basal cell carcinoma

 Starts in the cells of the epidermis called keratinocytes

 Occasionally spreads away from the original location to lymph nodes or elsewhere.