What is Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer begins in cells, the building blocks that make up the skin. Normally, skin cells grow and divide to form new cells. Every day skin cells grow old and die, and new cells take their place.

Sometimes, this orderly process goes wrong. New cells form when the skin does not need them, and old or damaged cells do not die when they should. These extra cells can form a mass of tissue called a growth or tumor.

Growths or tumors can be benign or malignant:

Benign growths are not cancer:

• Benign growths are rarely life-threatening.
• Generally, benign growths can be removed. They usually do not grow back.
• Cells from benign growths do not invade the tissues around them.
• Cells from benign growths do not spread to other parts of the body.

Malignant growths are cancer:

• Malignant growths are generally more serious than benign growths. They may be life-threatening. However, the two most common types of skin cancer cause only about one out of every thousand deaths from cancer.
• Malignant growths often can be removed. But sometimes they grow back.
• Cells from malignant growths can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs.
• Cells from some malignant growths can spread to other parts of the body. The spread of cancer is called metastasis.