Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of cancer in the world and forms in the skin’s basal cells, which line the deepest layer of the epidermis.

Symptoms of BCC may include shiny, skin-colored bumps, dark lesions, white, scar-like lesions, or flat, scaly patches.

BCC is typically a slow-growing cancer, which means it’s highly treatable when detected early. One form of treatment includes Mohs micrographic surgery—an approach that involves cutting away thin layers of cancer-containing skin until only cancer-free tissue is left. Mohs surgery provides the highest cure rate, lowest recurrence, and best cosmetic result.

Specialists in the GW Cancer Center’s Cutaneous Oncology Program are highly trained to diagnose and treat all types of skin cancer, including BCC, which impacts more than 3 million people in the U.S. each year.