Some BCC Basics<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n- BCCs are uncontrolled growths that arise from basal cells in the outermost layer of the skin. Most BCCs are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. UV from indoor tanning can also increase risk for BCC.<\/li>\n
- Over time, UV radiation damages DNA in the skin. The body repairs some of the damage, but what remains unrepaired can trigger mutations that lead to skin cancer.<\/li>\n
- Not all BCCs look alike. In fact, they might look like a pimple, a sore that doesn\u2019t heal, a shiny bump, a scar-like area, a pink or reddish patch or something else. In patients with darker skin, about half of BCCs are pigmented (meaning brown in color). Some people develop multiple BCCs over a lifetime.<\/li>\n
- The good news:<\/strong> Because skin cancer is a cancer you can see, these tumors tend to be detected early, when they are easiest to treat and have the best chance of a cure. The Skin Cancer Foundation\u2019s Big See campaign keeps it simple: Look for anything new, changing<\/strong> or unusual<\/strong> on your skin and let your dermatologist know. With early detection and prompt treatment, almost all BCCs can be successfully cured without complications.<\/li>\n
- The not-so-good news:<\/strong> There are some exceptions. \u201cIt\u2019s essential for people to understand that in its advanced stages, BCC can be disfiguring and even deadly if left untreated, just like any other cancer,\u201d says John Strasswimmer, MD, PhD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Palm Beach County, Florida, who focuses on Mohs surgery and cutaneous oncology. \u201cWe\u2019re just lucky that we have become good at diagnosing and treating it most of the time.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Below the Surface<\/strong><\/h3>\nBCCs are notorious for often looking like \u201cno big deal\u201d on the surface while growing \u201croots\u201d that can burrow deep into the skin and cause damage. Like rogue tree roots that burrow into the ground and disrupt underground plumbing, cable and utility services, BCCs can invade deep into the skin and even damage nerves, muscle and bone.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we see with BCC on the outside may not always be what is present on the inside,\u201d Dr. Strasswimmer explains. There are several reasons for this. Sometimes it is just the way the cancer grows. Other times it may be due to a previous treatment that didn\u2019t remove the entire tumor. While researchers are looking into new ways of imaging that may eventually help dermatologists see what is under the skin, for now there is no crystal ball.<\/p>\n
Luckily, though, there is Mohs surgery. This gold standard technique allows a specially trained surgeon to remove a layer of tissue at a time, examine the tissue under a microscope in an adjacent lab, identify exactly if and where any remaining cancerous cells are located and repeat the process until no microscopic cancer cells remain. The surgeon examines nearly 100 percent of the tumor margins, spares healthy tissue and leaves the smallest scar possible.<\/p>\n
![\"Dr](\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Surgery-strasswimmer.jpg\")
Focus on Mohs Surgery.<\/strong> Dr. Strasswimmer started his practice in Southeast Florida in 2005 to fill a need for specialized care for patients with advanced skin cancer. Photo: John Strasswimmer, MD, PhD<\/em><\/p><\/div>\nDr. Strasswimmer recalls a patient with a very small BCC on the side of her nose that looked like a small red patch or a pimple. \u201cWhen I did my first Mohs surgery layer removal, I could see that the tumor was going quite deep. By the time I got the tumor out, it was down to the bone. We had to remove the outer layer of the bone and then do some reconstruction.\u201d<\/p>\n
He later learned that previously the patient\u2019s BCC had been burned off superficially by an electrolysis device for hair removal. \u201cThat removed the visible part on the surface but did not remove the whole tumor and thus allowed cancerous cells to proliferate underneath and cause a tremendous amount of devastation,\u201d Dr. Strasswimmer says. Some people have used DIY devices and home remedies they read about to remove a lesion or mole from their skin. This is a dangerous practice that can make early detection and treatment of skin cancers such as BCCs much more difficult.<\/p>\n
What Is Advanced BCC? <\/strong><\/h3>\n
Below the Surface<\/strong><\/h3>\nBCCs are notorious for often looking like \u201cno big deal\u201d on the surface while growing \u201croots\u201d that can burrow deep into the skin and cause damage. Like rogue tree roots that burrow into the ground and disrupt underground plumbing, cable and utility services, BCCs can invade deep into the skin and even damage nerves, muscle and bone.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we see with BCC on the outside may not always be what is present on the inside,\u201d Dr. Strasswimmer explains. There are several reasons for this. Sometimes it is just the way the cancer grows. Other times it may be due to a previous treatment that didn\u2019t remove the entire tumor. While researchers are looking into new ways of imaging that may eventually help dermatologists see what is under the skin, for now there is no crystal ball.<\/p>\n
Luckily, though, there is Mohs surgery. This gold standard technique allows a specially trained surgeon to remove a layer of tissue at a time, examine the tissue under a microscope in an adjacent lab, identify exactly if and where any remaining cancerous cells are located and repeat the process until no microscopic cancer cells remain. The surgeon examines nearly 100 percent of the tumor margins, spares healthy tissue and leaves the smallest scar possible.<\/p>\n
Focus on Mohs Surgery.<\/strong> Dr. Strasswimmer started his practice in Southeast Florida in 2005 to fill a need for specialized care for patients with advanced skin cancer. Photo: John Strasswimmer, MD, PhD<\/em><\/p><\/div>\nDr. Strasswimmer recalls a patient with a very small BCC on the side of her nose that looked like a small red patch or a pimple. \u201cWhen I did my first Mohs surgery layer removal, I could see that the tumor was going quite deep. By the time I got the tumor out, it was down to the bone. We had to remove the outer layer of the bone and then do some reconstruction.\u201d<\/p>\n
He later learned that previously the patient\u2019s BCC had been burned off superficially by an electrolysis device for hair removal. \u201cThat removed the visible part on the surface but did not remove the whole tumor and thus allowed cancerous cells to proliferate underneath and cause a tremendous amount of devastation,\u201d Dr. Strasswimmer says. Some people have used DIY devices and home remedies they read about to remove a lesion or mole from their skin. This is a dangerous practice that can make early detection and treatment of skin cancers such as BCCs much more difficult.<\/p>\n
What Is Advanced BCC? <\/strong><\/h3>\n
Focus on Mohs Surgery.<\/strong> Dr. Strasswimmer started his practice in Southeast Florida in 2005 to fill a need for specialized care for patients with advanced skin cancer. Photo: John Strasswimmer, MD, PhD<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n Dr. Strasswimmer recalls a patient with a very small BCC on the side of her nose that looked like a small red patch or a pimple. \u201cWhen I did my first Mohs surgery layer removal, I could see that the tumor was going quite deep. By the time I got the tumor out, it was down to the bone. We had to remove the outer layer of the bone and then do some reconstruction.\u201d<\/p>\n He later learned that previously the patient\u2019s BCC had been burned off superficially by an electrolysis device for hair removal. \u201cThat removed the visible part on the surface but did not remove the whole tumor and thus allowed cancerous cells to proliferate underneath and cause a tremendous amount of devastation,\u201d Dr. Strasswimmer says. Some people have used DIY devices and home remedies they read about to remove a lesion or mole from their skin. This is a dangerous practice that can make early detection and treatment of skin cancers such as BCCs much more difficult.<\/p>\nWhat Is Advanced BCC? <\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"John](\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/john-strasswimmer-md-headshot-539x600.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/advanced-bcc-graphic-2-490x600.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"line](\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/doctor-patient-line-drawing-1214776673-340x240.jpg\")
Patients with any advanced cancer can benefit from ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/scf-regeneron-logos.jpg\")
![\"Featured](\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/featured-in-journal-2021.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"