The Skin Cancer Basics

Melanoma

• The most dangerous type of Skin cancer
• About 1 out of every 100 Canadians get melanoma
• In the last 20 years the amount of people getting melanoma has been increasing
• If the cancer is caught early, before it has grown very deeply into your body the cure rate is 95-100%
• If the cancer has grown down through your skin into the fat below, then the cure rate is only about 40%
• It is extremely important that this type of cancer be found early

Basal Cell Carcinoma

• The most common type or skin cancer - about 80 % of skin cancers
• Rarely spreads to other parts of your body if treated
• If you do not have it treated it can spread to bone or nearby skin, which can cause lots of damage
• The most common places to get it is on your face, neck and upper back
• The rate of Basal Cell Carcinoma is increasing at 3% every year

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

• The second most common type of skin cancer
• Sometimes spreads to other parts of your body
• The most common places to get it is on your face, ears, neck, forearms and back of your hands
• The rate of Squamous Cell Carcinoma is increasing at 3.5% every year