Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) on the forehead of an 80 year old female patient. BCC is a form of skin cancer that starts in the basal cell, which is responsible for generating new skin cells as the old ones expire. The tumour may manifest as a small pink lump that appears shiny, translucent, or waxy. It could gradually increase in size and may also become crusty, bleed, or develop into an ulcer. BCC could also take the form of a scaly patch that appears red or brown. The leading cause of BCC is overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, particularly on sun-exposed areas of the body like the face, head, neck, and ears. It typically destroys surrounding tissue but seldom spreads to other areas of the body. BCC commonly afflicts fair-skinned adults, although in recent years the average age of onset has steadily decreased. Treatment options for BCC include radiotherapy, cryotherapy, cauterisation and surgical excision. |