Mohs Surgery: Q&A
Ask a QuestionHow Fast Does Basal Cell Carcinoma Grow?
From what I have read, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) tends to be slow growing. What exactly does that mean? I am 43 years old and have a BCC located just below my nose and scheduled for Mohs surgery on Tuesday. I have had the BCC for at least 5 years, probably longer. My surgeon tells me that there is no way to know how much tissue will be removed until surgery. Immediately following the Mohs surgery, I will see a plastic surgeon to repair the wound. My bcc is pink slightly elevated with a rolled border and a crusted indentation in the center. When i went to the dermatologist, he knew right away just from looking at it that it was a BCC, biopsy confirmed. Do they grow at a certain rate? I just want to be prepared. Any information will be helpful.
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14 Doctor Answers |
Asked by
Gillis
in Franklin, TN
+4
Growth rate of BCC
Basal cell skin cancers vary in their growth rates - typically no faster than 2-3 mm over 2-3 months. Local destruction and invasion is what we worry about with BCC, as metastasis of this tumor is very rare. It is common for patients to present with these growths that appear to have been present for years, apparently unchanged. The visible portion of the tumor, however, does not always give an accurate picture of the entire size of the tumor. It may be the "tip of the iceberg" so to...
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+3
Basal Cell Carcinomas can grow slowly or quickly, but usually only locally.
Thank you for your question.
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of skin cancer and is due to recurrent sun exposure, but not related to the number of sunburns (although that definitely does contribute). A BCC tends to grow like the "roots of a tree". Usually it is slow growth, but what you see on the surface may not represent the entire tumor. The tumor can easily be growing underneath the skin and spreading, but you might not see most of it, and that's why you...
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+3
Basal cell carcinoma growth rate difficult to generalize
Well, typically BCCs grow very slowly, but there are occasions when they grow fast.
If a person's immune system is compromised (i.e. from medications or generic disorders), BCC can grow faster. If the cancer has been there for 5 years, typically it's bigger than a dime, but again it's hard to say.
Each person's BCC grow as different rates. I'm a Mohs surgeon and have seen thousands of BCCs.
Seattle Dermatologist
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+2
There's no predefined rate of growth
There's no clear cut answer to your question - how fast does basal cell cancer grow? In some people, it appears rather abruptly and grows quickly. In others, such as yourself, it may start out as a smaller cancer or pre-cancer (actinic keratosis) and grow slowly.
The important fact is that it will keep growing until it is removed, so be sure to have it taken it. Often times what is seen by the naked eye is just the tip of the iceberg. The sooner you get that out, the less damage there...
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Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) Growth Rate
Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) are considered "slow" growing tumors when compared to other skin cancers. They are locally destructive tumors. However, please keep in mind that the rate of growth and the amount of tissue damage from a BCC will vary from individual to individual depending on multiple factors.
The benefit of Mohs surgery is that this procedure will be able to pinpoint and remove the visible portions of the BCC as well as the...
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How fast does basal cell carcinoma grow
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) tends to grow slowly and invade locally and usually do not kill people the way squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma can (these can spread thru the blood stream called metastasis which BCC does not). But it's difficult to generalize about how fast they grow--they can grow slowly or quickly. There are some aggressive BCC's which can invade deeply and into the nerves which can create functional problems (especially if it involves the eye, nose,...
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Basal Cell Carcinoma Growth Pattern
Basal Cell Carcinomas tend to be a slow growing skin cancer with little risk of metastasis to other body sites; however, the skin cancer does slowly and insidiously grow, destroying the normal healthy tissue. The reason that basal cell carcinomas are treated is because of this slow growth where the healthy tissue is replaced or infiltrated by the skin cancer and because these tumors can spread along nerves, blood vessels, cartilage, etc and be difficult to remove. The fact that you know...
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Mohs surgey is the best option for basal cell carcinoma under the nose.
It is true that basal cell carcinoma has a relatively slower growth rate than other skin cancers, but it is still cancer, meaning that it will continue to grow and be destructive. After a long period of neglect, it might even attach to a local nerve or blood vessel and risk spread to deeper tissues or other parts of the body.
The location under your nose may mean that while your Mohs surgeon can remove all of the tumor cells with 99% accuracy or greater, it could be a complex area to...
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Basal Cell growth rate
Basal Cell Cancer does grow slowly. That being said, in your post you mentioned I have had it for 5 years. Does that mean you had other basal cell cancers or this particular lesion? Five years ago was this particular lesion discovered for the first time? Remember just because a lesion is noticed doesn't mean it wasn't there a long time before that. That is the reason it is hard to ascertain growth rates for basal cell exactly because who would subject themselves to that...
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Varies on Type, Immunity, Location
As a rule basal cell carcinomas grow slowly. However, do not tell this to anyone with an aggressive "rodent ulcer". This type of basal cell can erode the skin fairly rapidly, causing a deep excavation in what a few months earlier was only a small bump. In fact, on occasion, when badly neglected, the rodent ulcer can penetrate through bone.
Every year the American Academy of Dermatology devotes its first two days to brief (10...
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These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.
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