Words to know: Basal and squamous cell skin cancer
- Basal cell carcinoma (BCC)
- The most common skin cancer. It grows slowly and rarely spreads.
- Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)
- The second most common skin cancer. It can sometimes spread to lymph nodes.
- Keratinocyte cancer
- Another name for basal and squamous cell skin cancers, named after the main cells of the top skin layer.
- Ultraviolet (UV) light
- Invisible rays from the sun and tanning beds that damage skin cells.
- Actinic keratosis
- A rough, scaly precancer spot caused by sun damage.
- In situ
- Cancer only in the top layer of skin, not growing deeper.
- Dermatologist
- A doctor who specializes in the skin.
- Biopsy
- Taking a small piece of tissue to look at under a microscope.
- Margin
- The edge of the tissue removed in surgery. Clear margins mean no cancer was seen at the edge.
- Excision
- Surgery to cut out the cancer with a rim of healthy skin.
- Mohs surgery
- Surgery that removes skin cancer one thin layer at a time, checking each layer under the microscope.
- Curettage and electrodesiccation
- Scraping away a small cancer and treating the base with an electric needle.
- Cryotherapy
- Freezing abnormal skin cells with liquid nitrogen.
- Photodynamic therapy
- A treatment that uses a cream plus a special light to destroy abnormal skin cells.
- Perineural invasion
- Cancer growing along a nerve.
- Lymph nodes
- Small bean-shaped glands that help fight infection. Squamous cell cancer can spread to them.
- Hedgehog inhibitor
- A pill, such as vismodegib or sonidegib, that blocks a growth signal used by basal cell cancer.
- Immunotherapy
- Medicine that helps your immune system find and attack cancer.
- Cemiplimab
- An immunotherapy drug approved for advanced squamous and basal cell skin cancers.
- Adjuvant therapy
- Treatment given after surgery to lower the chance of the cancer coming back.
- Nicotinamide
- A form of vitamin B3 that may lower the number of new skin cancers in people at high risk.
- Immunosuppressed
- Having a weak immune system, for example from transplant medicines, HIV, or some blood cancers.
- Broad-spectrum sunscreen
- Sunscreen that protects against both main types of UV rays.
Last updated: 2026-10-27. Medically reviewed by Veli Bakalov, MD, medical oncologist (October 2026). General education from Step by Step, the patient portal of HemeOncBuddy.