Types of skin cancer
There are two main types of skin cancer:
- Melanoma
- Non-melanoma skin cancers
Melanoma
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It can spread rapidly and can be life-threatening if left untreated.
Melanoma starts in skin cells called melanocytes. These are the cells that make melanin, which gives skin its colour.
Melanoma is diagnosed most often in older adults, but it also sometimes occurs in younger adults and occasionally in teenagers. It is rare in children.
Most melanomas are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. In people with fair skin, sun exposure, particularly sunburn, in childhood and adolescence gives a greater risk of melanoma compared with sun exposure in later life. There is also a greater risk of melanoma with high doses of sun exposure occasionally (eg, during holiday and recreational activities) than with more continuous sun exposure (eg, people who work outdoors daily).
There may be a greater risk of melanoma from the use of tanning booths or sun beds, especially before the age of 35. The use of tanning booths or sun beds is not recommended. Read more about sun beds and solaria.
Read more: Melanoma: Information for you, your family, whānau and friends (PDF, 474KB) (New Zealand Guidelines Group)
See Checking Your Skin for signs of skin cancer.
Non-melanoma skin cancers
Non-melanoma skin cancers are far more common than melanoma. However, they tend to be less serious than melanoma (as long as they are treated).
The two main types are basal cell cancers (BCC) and squamous cell cancers (SCC). They are named after the type of skin cells where they develop.
BCC and SCC usually occur on areas of the skin that have been in the sun. They tend to be related to a person’s lifetime or ‘cumulative’ exposure to UV radiation.
BCC is the most common and least serious form of skin cancer. It is most common in people aged over 40, but can also develop in younger people.
SCC is common in people over the age of 40. It can be more serious than BCC because it can spread to other parts of the body.
See Checking Your Skin for signs of skin cancer.