White skin cancer is the most common form of skin cancer. These include basalioma (basal cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma) and spinalioma (squamous cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma). Both forms of cancer grow relatively slowly and rarely form daughter colonies (metastases). Nevertheless, white skin cancer must be taken seriously and treated as early as possible. Read everything important to the topic!
White skin cancer: Basalioma
White skin cancer does that Majority of all skin cancers out: Every year about 328 out of 100,000 people in Germany get the diagnosis of skin cancer (including early forms). About 290 of them suffer from white skin cancer. Most of these are basal cell carcinoma (basal cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma).
This type of skin tumor develops from cells of the so-called basal cell layer of the skin and the root sheaths of the hair follicles. He can arise all over his body. However, 70 to 80 percent of all basal cell carcinomas occur in the head and neck area on. Particularly often affected are the “Terraces” like nose, lips or forehead. Also on the neck and hands often form basaliomas, more rarely on the legs.
Women and men are equally affected by basal cell cancer. Most patients are between 50 and 60 years old. For some time, however, the basal cell carcinoma is also increasingly occurring at a younger age.
Basalioma: symptoms
Is basal cell cancer very diverse, Mostly it develops in the form of initially waxy, nodular tumors. They often form a beaded rim and can bleed again and again. This widespread form of white skin cancer is called nodular basalioma. But there are other manifestations. For example, some basaliomas look more like scar tissue or are darkly pigmented.
Basalomas are found in most patients Face between hairline and upper lip, However, it can also affect other parts of the body, such as the auricle, the hairy scalp or – less often – the trunk and extremities.
To read more about the appearance and location of basalioma, see Skin cancer: Symptoms.
Basalioma: treatment
Basal cell cancer is usually surgery, The surgeon attempts to completely remove the tumor, along with a seam of healthy tissue.
In some cases surgery is not possible, perhaps because the tumor is too big. Then, alternatively, other forms of therapy are used, for example one radiotherapy, Also possible is the so-called Cryosurgery (cold surgery), The tumor is frozen with liquid nitrogen.
Another therapy option for this type of white skin cancer is the Photodynamic therapy: This refers to “exposing” the tumor to intense light after the cancerous tissue has been previously sensitized to light with a special ointment.
To read more about these and other therapies for basal cell carcinoma see Skin cancer: treatment.
Basalioma: Healing chances
Basal cell carcinoma rarely forms daughter colonies (metastases). Physicians therefore call this type of white skin cancer “semi-malignant”. With timely diagnosis, the basal cell carcinoma is curable in most cases. An operation is the most promising form of treatment. Deaths are very rare in basal cell carcinoma (about one in 1,000 patients).
After completing the treatment, patients should regularly go to follow-up (follow-up). More than four out of ten sufferers develop more basalomas within the first three years after the first diagnosis. At what intervals a patient should come to check, the doctor determines individually. As far as the duration of aftercare is concerned, experts currently recommend that these should not be limited in time.
Basalioma: prevention
If you want to prevent this type of white skin cancer, you should primarily protect the skin from too much UV light. The basalioma arises – as well as the spinal egg – mainly due to extensive UV irradiation of the skin (sun, solarium). Therefore, white skin cancer of both types can be prevented mainly by consistent UV protection: Avoid direct sunlight (especially in the noon hours). Protect your skin with suitable sunscreens and textiles. Especially people with a light skin type should stick to it because they carry a higher risk for skin cancer.
In addition to UV light, a genetic predisposition as well as some hereditary diseases may favor the development of a basalioma. Here a prevention is not possible. Another risk factor is various substances and chemicals such as arsenic. These should be avoided if possible to prevent basal cell carcinoma.
White skin cancer: Spinaliom
Spinalioma (squamous cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma) is the second most common form of skin cancer. Each year, around 87,000 people in Germany get new infections – men a little more often than women. The affected are usually older than 60 years.
Squamous cell carcinoma is not easily recognized. It often manifests as flaky, reddened or brownish-yellowish skin lesions. In other cases, it manifests as a scabrous or encrusted wound that sometimes bleeds. In most cases, this white skin cancer forms in places that are or were exposed to more intense UV radiation. These include, for example, nose, ear edge, forehead, neck and back of the hand.
White skin cancer Spinalioma type grows quite aggressive. Untreated, it gradually destroys surrounding tissue. In the advanced stage, a spinal egg can form daughter ablations (metastatic) in other parts of the body. Early treatment is even more important here than with a basal cell carcinoma.
Read more about this skin cancer type in the review post squamous cell carcinoma.