Do we pay attention to our moles?
Often, we tend to notice slight, temporary changes to our skin – the development of a new pimple, for example, or a new tan after spending a day under the sun, are modifications that catch our eye. Unfortunately, most of us overlook the appearance of our moles! Perhaps we are less mindful of them because most moles develop in our childhood or youth. However, it is pertinent to recognise that abnormal looking moles may be a cause for concern too, as they may very well be a sign of skin cancer. This article serves to provide insight into a type of skin cancer – the Basal Cell Carcinoma – and its association with unusual looking moles.
An introduction to Basal Cell Carcinoma
Broadly speaking, skin cancer may be categorised into two main types – melanoma or non-melanoma. While melanomas are aggressive, malignant cancers that have a high potential of spreading to other parts of the body, non-melanomas are malignant cancers that have a low possibility of spreading to other parts of the body. Non-melanomas typically begin from either the basal cells or the squamous cells, in which case the disease is termed ‘Basal Cell Carcinoma’ or ‘Squamous Cell Carcinoma’ respectively.
Basal Cell Carcinoma falls under the category of non-melanoma skin cancer and is extremely common. In fact, there has been an alarming upsurge in the incidence of Basal Cell Carcinoma worldwide. Like Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Basal Cell Carcinoma arises from the most superficial layer of the skin, known as the epidermis. When the basal cells of the skin encounter some form of damage to its DNA, vital cell-signalling processes that tightly control the proliferation of these cells go haywire as well. Eventually, this culminates in an uncontrolled growth of basal cells, which raises the possibility of these accumulating abnormal cells becoming malignant. In the event that this does occur, a cancerous lesion then appears on the skin surface. Usually, Basal Cell Carcinomas are slow-growing tumours that rarely spread to other parts of the body. Although it is not immediately problematic, if neglected, Basal Cell Carcinomas can progress on to cause widespread destruction to the surrounding tissue and bone.
That is an unusual looking mole!
As a result of a convoluted interaction between various genetic and environmental factors, the external manifestation of Basal Cell Carcinoma differs between people. The head and neck region is where most of the tumours are sighted, while the trunk is the second most common area. While cancerous lesions may either appear as a collection of tumours or the development of tumours on the trunk area, the presentation of Basal Cell Carcinoma in the form of abnormal looking moles is of particular interest here. Unusual looking moles, such as moles that appear translucent with observable tiny blood vessels, or moles that are red, flat and appear scaly, as well as white/yellow moles that resemble scars, should raise some alarm bells. White/yellow moles that resemble scars, in particular, are dangerous because they tend to surface only later and we often fail to notice them. What is more, they may indicate a highly infiltrative and aggressive form of Basal Cell Carcinoma.