Approximately 4 million new cases of basal cell carcinoma are diagnosed in America every year. For many men and women in Houston, TX, Kingwood, TX, & Sugar Land, Texas, Dr. Joseph Sedrak of EpiDermatology is the preferred specialist for addressing this and other types of skin cancer. If you’re concerned about a skin irregularity and would like a comprehensive skin cancer screening, schedule an appointment using the online tool or reach out to the office by phone.
What is basal cell carcinoma?
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer. In fact, it’s the most common type of cancer in general. An estimated one out of every three new cases of cancer is a skin cancer, and most skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas.
Your basal cells line the deeper layers of your epidermis and can become cancerous when triggered to grow abnormally. Like other skin cancers, you can usually visually detect basal cell cancers in the earliest stages of development.
What are the signs of basal cell carcinomas?
Most basal cell cancers develop on areas of your body that see a lot of sun exposure. They don’t always look the same, so it’s critical to know what your skin looks and feels like so you’re able to detect changes.
In the earliest stages, basal cell carcinomas often appear as small, shiny bumps. It may look like a flesh-colored mole or a pimple that never gets worse or goes away. You might find a dome-shaped skin growth that is pink, brown, or black.
Basal cell carcinomas grow very slowly, so you may want to have Dr. Sedrak check an area of concern even if you’ve noticed it for some time.
How is basal cell cancer treated?
All treatment options center on removing or destroying cancerous cells. There are various methods to accomplish this goal, and the approach that works best for you depends on the location and size of your cancer.
Excising the cancerous cells is a common treatment. Dr. Sedrak numbs the area and uses a special surgical tool to scrape and cut out the cancer cells and a small portion of nearby healthy cells.
A similar approach uses a needle heated with electricity to remove targeted cells. This approach can help control bleeding. It’s also possible to freeze cancer cells with liquid nitrogen.
Mohs surgery is a popular treatment option. The procedure takes a very conservative approach and allows Dr. Sedrak to remove only the layers of skin that show cancerous cells. This can be a good fit for cancers on your face or neck, where deeper excisions can create more obvious scarring.
If you’re interested in a professional skin cancer screening, schedule an appointment with Dr. Sedrak online or by phone.
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