What Is Skin Cancer? image

What Is Skin Cancer?

Posted by

HealthTree

Last updated and reviewed on: August 11, 2026

This guide is a comprehensive resource designed to help patients and their loved ones navigate every stage of a skin cancer diagnosis. Learn what skin cancer is, recognize common signs and symptoms, understand risk factors, staging, diagnosis, and treatment options, explore clinical trials, and find practical resources for coping and making informed decisions throughout your care.

Skin Cancer Facts

Learn what skin cancer is, how it develops, and the main types including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.

Skin Cancer Symptoms

Recognize early signs of skin cancer, including changes in moles, new growths, sores that won't heal, and other warning signs to watch for.

Risk Factors for Skin Cancer

Understand skin cancer risk factors, including UV exposure, skin type, family history, immune status, and other factors that raise your risk.

How is Skin Cancer Diagnosed?

How skin cancer is diagnosed: skin exams, biopsy types, imaging, and key biomarkers including BRAF, NRAS, KIT, and PD-L1 testing.

Skin Cancer Prevention

Learn about skin cancer screening with self-exams and dermatologist checks, plus prevention through sun protection and sunscreen use.

Skin Cancer Screening

Learn about skin cancer screening, warning signs to watch for, the ABCDEs of melanoma, and when to see a dermatologist for a skin exam.

Skin Cancer Stages

A clear breakdown of skin cancer staging using the TNM system, including Stage 0 through Stage IV, with examples of what each stage means.

Skin Cancer Treatment

Skin cancer treatment options including surgery, Mohs surgery, radiation, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy explained.

Joining A Clinical Trial for Skin Cancer

How skin cancer clinical trials work, who qualifies, what insurance covers, and how to find a trial that's right for you.

Skin Cancer Survival Rates

A patient-friendly look at skin cancer statistics: how common it is, survival rates by type and stage, and what these numbers mean for you.

Skin Cancer Support

Support for coping with skin cancer: scarring and body image, fear of recurrence, mental health, and resources for you and your loved ones.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Skin Cancer

Key questions to ask your skin cancer care team about diagnosis, staging, treatment, side effects, clinical trials, and follow-up care.

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