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Skin Cancer

Frequently Asked Questions

3. What is skin cancer? - cont'd

Diagram of the anatomy of the skin. - Click to enlarge in new window.
Click to enlarge image

There are three types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. The types of cancer are named after the type of cells that are affected. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are very common, especially in older people. However, they are rarely life-threatening. Melanoma is a less common, yet more serious, type of cancer.