Skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma (BCC)

In the United States, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) accounts for 90 percent of all skin cancers in southern states and 47 percent in northern states. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer in Australia and New Zealand, accounting for 70-80% of diagnosed skin cancers. The appearance of basal cell carcinoma occurs mainly in the head and neck. It occurs less frequently in Asians and rarely among darker-skinned races. As with all skin cancers, the risk is thought to be related to sun exposure. The good thing about basal cell carcinoma is that it grows slowly and rarely metastasizes throughout the body. However, it is locally destructive and can invade neighboring bone and nerve tissue.

Description – BCC is a malignant epithelial cell tumor that begins as a papule (a small, circumscribed, solid elevation of the skin) and enlarges peripherally, becoming a crater that erodes, crusts, and bleeds. BCC originates from the basal layer of the epidermis, the lowest layer of the skin.

Signs and symptoms of basal cell carcinoma – There are five typical features of basal cell carcinoma that are quite different from each other. Two or more features are frequently present in a tumor. BCC sometimes resembles non-cancerous skin conditions, such as psoriasis or eczema, and requires diagnosis by a trained person. The five warning signs of basal cell carcinoma are:

1. An open sore that bleeds, oozes, or crusts over and stays open for three or more weeks. A persistent sore that does not heal is a very common early manifestation.
2. A reddish patch or sore area, often occurring on the chest, shoulders, arms, or legs. Sometimes the patch crusts over. It may also itch or hurt. On other occasions it persists without appreciable discomfort.
3. A smooth growth with a raised, rolled edge and a cleft in the center. As the growth slowly grows, small blood vessels can develop on the surface (telangiectasias).
4. A shiny lump (nodule) that is pearly or translucent and is often pink, red, or white. The nodule can also be tan, black, or brown, especially in people with dark hair, and can be mistaken for a mole or melanoma.
5. A scar-like area (white, yellow, or waxy in appearance) that often has poorly defined borders. The skin itself appears shiny or tight. Although it is a less frequent sign, it can indicate the presence of a more aggressive tumor.

Diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma – Diagnosis is almost always by biopsy. Tissue is cut from the site and examined under a microscope.

Medical treatment of basal cell carcinoma – Allopathic treatment depends on the size and type of tumor. There are several types of surgery or non-surgical treatments chosen.

Non-surgical treatment of BCC – Non-surgical allopathic treatments have low success rates.

• Topical application of 5-fluorouracil for 2 to 12 weeks is only beneficial for superficial BCC. Fluorouracil is used to prevent excess cell proliferation found in skin cancer and psoriasis. It prevents the formation of RNA which in turn prevents the formation of DNA.
• Imiquinoid cream: Currently, the use of imiquinoid cream is considered experimental. It is an immune response modifier that stimulates the immune system to release cytokines that kill cancer cells. The treatment causes significant skin irritation. Not all types of BCC are affected.
• Ionizing radiation: Superficial radiography. It results in radiation damage, therefore it is used more with older patients. Impaired immune function and malaise usually also occur. It is used for facial BCC and seems less effective for BCC that occurs elsewhere.

Surgical removal of BCC- Surgery is the most studied and most used treatment for the removal of a BCC in allopathic medicine. The effectiveness of the surgery depends a lot on the skill of the surgeon. Various surgical methods:

• Electrodesiccation and curettage: The BCC is burned off and removed with a scalpel. The main disadvantage of this method is that the tumor often crawls into the hair follicles. (9)
• Cryosurgery – liquid nitrogen to freeze burn the BCC.
• Excision surgery: The BCC is cut from the skin with a scalpel. To increase the chance of complete removal of the tumor, a portion of normal-appearing skin surrounding the BCC is removed.
• Microscopic surgery or MOHS: The BCC is cut from the skin, along with some of the healthy surrounding tissue. This is examined under a microscope to check for any remaining cancer cells. Tissue is then removed in increments of thin layers of skin, until no more cancer cells are found. Mohs is the most effective allopathic medical treatment (99% cure rate for primary BCC, 90-95% for recurrent BCC).
• Laser surgery. Lasers are also used as a secondary therapy when topical medications or other techniques are unsuccessful.

BCC recurrence – Once a basal cell carcinoma has been removed, another growth may develop in the same location or in a nearby area. It has been found that 36% of people who develop a basal cell carcinoma will develop a secondary primary BCC within the next 5 years. Radiation therapy can result in more aggressive and invasive cells in a recurrent BCC.

Effective alternative treatments – Allopathic medicine often succeeds in completely eliminating BCCs, but obviously also often fails, given the high number of recurrences that many people suffer with repeated visits to the doctor and then to the specialist. These treatments do not always work as well as hoped or expected.

But there are natural treatments that are worth trying and have been shown to be safe and effective. You can read the full text of this article in the e-book titled “How to Treat Skin Cancer Naturally.” The book includes descriptions of different types of basal cell carcinoma, as well as images and additional text. Covers other types of skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma) with helpful information on various methods and applications of herbs such as bloodroot. Real cases of people who have successfully used these methods are included.