basal cell cancer
Meaning of basal cell cancer: Basal cell cancer is the most common skin cancer, growing slowly on sun exposed skin and rarely spreading to distant parts of the body.
Definition of basal cell cancer
Basal cell cancer is a cancer that begins in the basal cells, found in the lower part of the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. It typically appears as a small, pearly or flesh colored bump that may bleed or crust, and it most often develops on skin that has received significant sun exposure over time, such as the face, ears, neck, and hands.
Basal cell cancer is the most common form of skin cancer, and it generally grows slowly over months or years. Unlike many other cancers, it rarely spreads to distant parts of the body, though if left untreated it can continue to grow locally and damage surrounding skin, and occasionally deeper tissue such as cartilage or bone.
Because basal cell cancer is usually confined to the area where it develops, treatment generally focuses on removing the local lesion completely, and the cancer's low tendency to spread distinguishes its overall outlook from cancers with a greater tendency toward distant spread.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
A biopsy of the slowly growing lesion on the patient's cheek confirmed basal cell cancer.
Good to know
Basal cell cancer rarely spreads to distant sites the way many other cancers do, but it can still cause significant local damage to skin and underlying tissue if left untreated for an extended period.
Word origin
Where “basal cell cancer” comes from
Basal derives from Latin basis, meaning base, describing the deepest layer of the epidermis where these cells are found; cancer comes from Latin cancer, meaning crab.