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How do basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma differ in their tendency to spread?
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skin disease
Visible alterations in the texture of the skin, such as rashes and hives, can be indicative of serious disease. For example, one of the first signs of Lyme disease is a circular rash in a bull's-eye pattern on the skin.
Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma differ significantly in their potential to spread and invade surrounding tissues:
- Basal cell carcinoma: This type of cancer rarely metastasizes to distant parts of the body. While it is generally characterized by slow growth, it can be highly invasive locally, spreading into surrounding tissues if left untreated. In rare instances, it may spread to nearby lymph nodes, which significantly impacts the prognosis.12
- Squamous cell carcinoma: This form of skin cancer is distinguished by a higher rate of metastasis compared to basal cell carcinoma. Because of this increased tendency to spread, early diagnosis and treatment are critical to prevent the cancer from invading deeper layers of the skin, underlying tissues, or nearby lymph nodes.12
Both cancers are primarily caused by DNA damage from ultraviolet radiation and are most effectively treated when detected early.12