Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the U.S. It occurs in more than a million people each year, including many older people. There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Of the three, melanoma is the most serious. Skin cancer occurs when abnormal cells form and multiply in an uncontrolled way in the epidermis, or abnormal cells from the epidermis invade the dermis of the skin. Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma are skin cancers that are named for the epidermal cells from which they develop.

What is Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer among light skinned individuals. It is the commonest cancer in the United States and in Australia. Each year, about one million people are diagnosed with this cancer. In 85 percent of these cases, the skin damage leading to the cancer occurs before an individual is 18.

Skin Cancer Classification

Skin Cancer Causes

Skin Cancer Diagnosis

Skin Cancer Prevention

Skin Cancer Management

Skin Cancer Pathology

Skin Cancer Symptoms

Hair Follicle Tumors

Rare Skin Cancers

Does Aspirin Increase Your Risk of Skin Cancer?

Latest Skin Cancer News and Research

Study: Direct and repetitive irradiation with 222nm UVC does not cause skin cancer

Joint research between Kobe University and Ushio Inc. has provided proof for the first time in the world that direct and repetitive illumination from 222nm ultraviolet radiation C (UVC), which is a powerful sterilizer, does not cause skin cancer.

7 Apr 2020

New type of immunotherapy shows promise for future treatment of ovarian cancer

Malignant ovarian cancer is insidious: Known and feared for vague and uncharacteristic symptoms that often mean the disease is discovered so late that on average only four out of six patients are still alive after five years.

26 Mar 2020

Immunotherapy treatment shows promise for some patients with advanced rare cancers

A study conducted by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center demonstrated acceptable toxicity and anti-tumor activity in patients with four types of advanced, hard-to-treat rare cancers.

20 Mar 2020

Cream infused with microscopic STAR particles could facilitate better treatment of skin diseases

Skin diseases affect half of the world's population, but many treatments are not effective, require frequent injections, or cause significant side effects.

10 Mar 2020

Machine learning has potential to enhance the diagnosis of mastitis infections in cows

The new study, published today in Scientific Reports, has found that machine learning has the potential to enhance and improve a veterinarian's ability to accurately diagnose herd mastitis origin and reduce mastitis levels on dairy farms.

9 Mar 2020

Molecule-sized drills can target diseased cells and kill them in minutes

Molecule-sized drills do the damage they are designed to do. That's bad news for disease.

5 Mar 2020

AI helps reveal apparent cellular distinctions between black and white cancer patients

Scientists at Case Western Reserve University are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to reveal apparent cellular distinctions between black and white cancer patients, while also exploring potential racial bias in the rapidly developing field of AI.

5 Mar 2020

Antidepressant shows promise in helping men with recurrent prostate cancer

An antidepressant in use for decades, repurposed to fight prostate cancer, shows promise in helping patients whose disease has returned following surgery or radiation, a pilot study at USC shows.

4 Mar 2020

Study: Bereaved individuals face higher risk of dying from melanoma

Individuals who experience the loss of a partner are less likely to be diagnosed with melanoma but face an increased risk of dying from the disease, according to research published in the British Journal of Dermatology.

4 Mar 2020

Researchers detect a novel cause of acquired lipodystrophy

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is mostly diagnosed in overweight and obese people. However, severe forms of NAFLD can also be detected in rare genetic diseases such as lipodystrophy or in patients with HIV, putting them at a high risk for developing liver failure, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

3 Mar 2020

Blocking immune T-cell regulator may help boost tumor killing, study shows

Immune system T-cells are more able to destroy skin cancer cells when a T-cell regulator called SLAMF6 is missing, a new study in eLife shows.

3 Mar 2020

New compound could improve the success rate of photodynamic therapy

PDT does not always kill cells deep within a cancerous tumor, allowing tumors to grow back again.

26 Feb 2020

IU researcher identifies new genomic regions that increase skin cancer risk

An Indiana University cancer researcher has identified eight new genomic regions that increase a person's risk for skin cancer.

18 Feb 2020

Sexual orientation affects skin cancer risk in the USA

A new study published in the journal JAMA Dermatology in February 2020 shows a higher rate of indoor tanning and a corresponding increase in skin cancer, among men with homosexual or bisexual preferences compared to heterosexual men.

12 Feb 2020

Skin cancer rates found to be higher among gay and bisexual men

In the largest study of skin cancer rates among gay, lesbian or bisexual individuals, investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital report important differences in skin cancer prevalence among sexual minorities. Rates of skin cancer were higher among gay and bisexual men compared to heterosexual men but lower among bisexual women than heterosexual women.

12 Feb 2020

Skin cancer-detecting apps could be missing diagnoses finds study

A new study has warned that Smartphone apps that promise to detect skin cancers from moles or marks over the skin could be missing out on potential cancers. These apps say the researchers, could be missing out melanomas and could be declaring potentially dangerous lesions as safe. The results of the study titled, "Algorithm based smartphone apps to assess risk of skin cancer in adults: systematic review of diagnostic accuracy studies," were published this week in The BMJ.

11 Feb 2020

Tips to care for your skin during menopause

By the time they reach menopause - which officially begins one year after a woman's last period -; many women think they have their lives figured out. Careers are well established; children are grown and independent; and there's more time for leisure and self-care.

11 Feb 2020