Skin cancer: signs and symptoms, types, causes and treatment

There are two groups of signs to check for, because melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers look different. Any part of the skin can be affected, but both are more common in areas exposed to the sun.

For non-melanoma skin cancer, the NHS says the main symptom is a growth or unusual patch on the skin. It is most common on the head, face and ears, neck and shoulders, back, hands and lower legs. Growths can vary in colour, size and texture:

• Some are raised and smooth with clear edges.

• Some are bumpier, rough or crusty.

• Some start as a flat discoloured patch.

• Patches can be a range of colours including purple, brown and red, and may be darker on brown or black skin.

• They may look crusty and feel rough or itchy.

• Cancer Research UK adds a sore that does not heal, or an area of skin that looks unusual, red, itchy, bleeds or scabs for more than 4 weeks.

The NHS says a new mole or a change in an existing mole may be a sign of melanoma, which is a more serious type of skin cancer. It can appear anywhere on the body and is more common in areas often exposed to the sun. Some rarer types can affect the eyes, soles of the feet, palms of the hands or genitals.

The NHS describes how melanomas differ from normal moles. Use a mirror or ask someone to check areas you cannot see.

It is important to get any symptoms checked by a GP, and the NHS says finding skin cancer early can mean it is easier to treat. For non-melanoma skin cancer, see a GP if you have:

• A growth on your skin that is getting bigger or has changed colour or texture.

• A growth or area of skin that hurts, itches, bleeds, crusts or scabs for more than 4 weeks.

• For melanoma, the NHS says to see a GP for a mole that has changed size, shape or colour, is painful or itchy, or is inflamed, bleeding or crusty.

• A new or unusual mark that has not gone away after a few weeks, including on the palms or soles.

• A dark area under a nail that has not been caused by an injury.

• The GP may ask to take a photograph to send to a specialist. An urgent referral does not definitely mean you have cancer.

The NHS says non-melanoma skin cancer can usually be effectively treated, depending on the type, where the cancer is, whether it has spread and your general health. Surgery is the main treatment for both non-melanoma skin cancer and melanoma, especially if found early.

The NHS says melanoma can often be treated. Surgery to remove the melanoma and a margin of healthy skin around it is the main treatment, and swollen lymph glands may also be removed if the cancer has spread to them. If the melanoma is in a visible area such as the face, a plastic surgeon may carry out the surgery.

Radiotherapy is sometimes used to reduce the size of large melanomas and relieve symptoms. Targeted medicines and immunotherapy are used for melanomas that cannot be treated with surgery or have spread, and a sample is usually tested for gene changes first. Chemotherapy does not work as well for melanoma as these treatments but may be used if you are unable to have other treatments.

You usually start with a GP, who will ask about your symptoms, sun exposure and family history and look at the affected skin. NHS inform says that if they think you might have a melanoma or a squamous cell carcinoma, they make an urgent referral, asking for a dermatologist appointment within 2 weeks or as soon as the clinic can arrange it. If they think it is a basal cell carcinoma, they make a routine referral, usually within 18 weeks, because nearly all BCCs grow slowly.

At the hospital a dermatologist examines the skin, sometimes with a dermatoscope (a light and magnifier). NHS inform says it is not always possible to tell if skin changes are cancer just by looking, so a biopsy may be done, usually in an outpatient clinic under local anaesthetic. The sample is sent to a laboratory.

The NHS says UV light is the most common cause of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. It comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds. Both are more common in older people, though younger people can get them.

You are more likely to get skin cancer if you have pale skin that burns easily, red or fair hair, blue or green eyes, a large number of freckles or moles, a lot of past sun exposure or sunburn, heavy sunbed use, or a personal or family history of skin cancer.

The NHS says people with brown or black skin have a lower chance but can still get skin cancer. It says that people with black or brown skin most often get melanoma on the soles of the feet, palms of the hands or under a nail.

Cancer Research UK says doctors can almost always cure basal cell carcinoma, and it is extremely rare for it to spread, though in a small number of people it can come back in the skin. It says doctors can cure most people with squamous cell carcinoma, and a small number have SCC that has spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body, which may still be cured.

It says your outlook depends on the size of the cancer, how deep it is, where it is growing, how fast it is growing and the type, with a slightly higher risk of coming back if your immune system is weak. The NHS says you will have regular check-ups during and after treatment and should tell your team about new symptoms without waiting for the next check-up.

The NHS says staying safe in the sun is the best way to lower your chance of getting skin cancer, both melanoma and non-melanoma.

• Stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day (11am to 3pm in the UK).

• Keep your arms and legs covered, and wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses that provide UV protection.

• Use sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher and at least 4-star UVA protection, and reapply it regularly.

• Make sure babies and children are protected from the sun, as their skin is much more sensitive than adult skin.

• The NHS lists sunbed use as a risk factor, so avoiding sunbeds follows from the same advice.

Most people are diagnosed and treated through the NHS after a GP referral, with a dermatology or plastic surgery team. NHS inform describes the urgent referral standard for suspected melanoma or SCC and a routine referral for suspected BCC.

Some people choose to see a private dermatologist for faster examination, dermoscopy and biopsy. If a mole or growth is changing, a private appointment should not delay a GP visit, and a private result can be shared with your GP so an urgent referral can be made if needed.