People with a basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or Merkel cell cancer may experience the following symptoms. Sometimes, people with non-melanoma skin cancer/keratinocyte carcinoma do not have any of these changes. Or, the cause of a symptom may be a different medical condition that is not cancer.
Changes in the skin are the main warning sign for skin cancer. Each type of skin cancer can appear differently, so it is important to talk with your doctor when you notice a change in your skin. The skin features that frequently develop are listed below.
For basal cell carcinoma, 2 or more of the following features may be present:
• An open sore that bleeds, oozes, or crusts and remains open for several weeks
• A reddish, raised patch or irritated area that may crust or itch, but rarely hurts
• A shiny pink, red, pearly white, or translucent bump
• A pink growth with an elevated border and crusted central indentation
• A scar-like, white, yellow, or waxy area, often with a poorly defined border
Courtesy:Cancer.net
