What Are Pre-Cancers?
Skin cancer may often be preceded by lesions called pre-cancers. The most well-known of these are actinic keratoses (AKs). AKs are considered an early form of squamous cell carcinoma.
AKs, a new or changing mole (nevi), and other unusual lesions on your skin should be carefully monitored and brought to the attention of your doctor.
How Is Skin Cancer Treated?
Diagnosing cancer usually requires a biopsy. A small piece of skin is removed for examination under a microscope and evaluated with other tests.
A treatment plan will be recommended based on several factors:
- The type of cancer
- The size of the cancer—treatments that may be effective for small cancers may not be optimal for larger cancers
- The extent of the cancer (localized to one area vs. spreading to surrounding tissues)
- The location of the cancer (face vs. arm)
- The number of lesions
- Your past history and family history of skin cancer
