This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Read more.
Dr Kara Heelan
The Royal Marsden
What are the types of skin cancer?
Transcript
The most common type of skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma.
These tend to arise on UV or sun exposed areas such as the head, neck, back of hands and chest.
The next most common type are squamous cell carcinoma and these also occur on these same locations.
These have an increased tendency to spread.
And then the most serious type of skin cancer but less common is melanoma and these do need to be diagnosed early.
There are then some much rarer types of skin cancers such as Merkel cell carcinoma or Kaposi's sarcoma.
Essentially the same rule applies to all.
If you notice something changing on your skin you should get it checked.