New Delhi: President Biden had a cancerous skin lesion removed from his chest on February 16, White House Physician Kevin O’Connor said, adding it was a basal cell carcinoma — a common form of skin cancer. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is not only the most common type of skin cancer but also cancer with the highest rate of diagnoses overall. In the United States, 3.6 million individuals receive a diagnosis every year.
What is basal cell carcinoma?
It is a type of skin cancer which develops in the basal cells, which are present within the skin and produce new skin cells. This type of cancer results in a pearly white, skin-coloured or pink bump on the body. It occurs in areas which are exposed to the sun, such as the head and neck. As BCCs grow slowly, most are curable and cause minimal damage when caught and treated early. Most basal cell carcinomas are thought to be caused by long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight. Utilizing sunblock and avoiding the sun’s rays may help prevent basal cell carcinoma.
Symptoms of basal cell carcinoma:
Basal cell carcinoma typically appears on areas of your body that are exposed to light, particularly your head and neck and can less frequently form on areas of your body like the genitalia that are typically shielded from the light. A change in the epidermis, such as a growth or an open sore, can signal basal cell carcinoma.
These changes in the skin (lesions) usually have one of the following characteristics:
- A shiny, skin-coloured bump that’s translucent, meaning you can see a bit through the surface, which can look pearly white or pink on white skin.
- Tiny blood vessels might be visible, though they may be difficult to see on dark skin, and the bump may bleed and scab over.
- A brown, black or blue lesion is seen, or a lesion with dark spots with a slightly raised, translucent border.
- A flat, scaly patch with a raised edge may also be visible which grows quite large over time.
- Additionally, a white, waxy, scar-like lesion without a clearly defined border may appear as well.
How dangerous it is:
Rarely do BCCs spread outside of the initial tumour site. But these tumours have the potential to spread and become harmful and disfiguring. BCCs that are left untreated have the potential to spread locally, penetrate deeply, and obliterate bone, tissue, and epidermis. The likelihood that the BCC will recur, sometimes repeatedly, increases the longer you delay seeking treatment.