What to Remember About Basal Cell Carcinoma
- Actor Hugh Jackman enjoys life after his most recent skin cancer scare by celebrating his wedding anniversary with his wife.
- Jackman, 53, first developed skin cancer in 2013 and has battled the disease six times.
- Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer, with an estimated 3.6 million cases diagnosed in the U.S. each year.
- BCC tends to be slow-growing and is often overlooked as a pimple or skin tag.
- You can minimize your skin cancer risk by wearing daily sunscreen and avoiding the sun during peak hours.
Actor Hugh Jackman, 54, isn't letting his recent skin cancer scare stop him from enjoying his 27th anniversary with his beloved wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, on a New York beach.
Jackman shared a loving tribute to his wife for their April 11 anniversary on Instagram.
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Over Easter weekend, the Broadway and movie star was seen taking a swim at Hampton Beach in New York with his 67-year-old wife. Jackman and Furness were photographed battling the waves and enjoying the surf together.
Earlier this month, Jackman shared an Instagram video after a recent cancer scare. In the video, he's seen with a bandage covering part of his nose while urging many of his fans to wear sunscreen.
"I know you've heard me talk about my basal cell carcinomas before. I'm going to keep talking about them, if need be. And if it reminds even one person to put on sunscreen with a high SPF, then I'm happy" he wrote in a caption.
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Fortunately, the award-winning actor was given the 'all-clear' after a biopsy for the skin cancer came back negative. Jackman is actually a six-time skin cancer survivor; he was first diagnosed in 2013.
The cancer warrior has plenty to be grateful for these days as he continues his successful career after battling cancer.
The Australian actor has starred in some of Hollywood's biggest films, including "X-Men," portraying Wolverine, and "Van Helsing.” His efforts have earned him several awards including an Emmy, a Grammy, two Tony's and a Golden Globe.
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
Basal Cell Carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer with an estimated 3.6 million cases diagnosed in the U.S. alone each year, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.
BCC is a form of highly curable but still serious skin cancer that causes a lump, bump or lesion to form on the outer layer of your skin, according to the Cleveland Clinic. A change to your DNA causes BCC and the change usually happens after your skin has been exposed to too much ultraviolet rays from the sun or tanning beds.
BCC may be diagnosed through a skin biopsy, which is when they take a small piece of it for testing. Imaging tests are conducted if a doctor suspects the cancer has spread to a different area of the body something that is rare for BCC.
If slow-growing BCC lumps are left untreated, they can increase in size and begin to take over deeper layers of the skin and tissues, like muscle and bone and become painful.
The Signs of Basal Cell Carcinoma
BCC can be easily mistaken as a pimple or skin tag but the following are visual cues to look for, according to Mayo Clinic.
- A shiny, skin-colored bump that's translucent, meaning you can see a bit through the surface. The bump can look pearly white or pink on white skin.
- BCC on darker Skin-tones, the bump often looks brown or glossy black. Tiny blood vessels might be visible, though they may be difficult to see on brown and Black skin. The bump may bleed and scab over.
- A brown, black or blue lesion or a lesion with dark spots with a slightly raised, translucent border.
- A flat, scaly patch with a raised edge. Over time, these patches can grow quite large.
- A white, waxy, scar-like lesion
WATCH: Patients who have many moles are at a slightly increased risk of developing skin cancer.
Basal Cell Carcinoma Risk Factors
Basal Cell Carcinoma risk factors that increase your chances of getting the skin cancer include:
- Excessive sun exposure
- Radiation therapy
- Fair skin
- Increasing age
- Family history of skin cancer
- Immune-suppressing drugs
- Exposure to arsenic
- Inherited syndromes that cause skin cancer
Basal Cell Carcinoma Treatment
According to Mayo Clinic, surgery is commonly used to remove basal cell carcinoma through surgical excision, where the cancerous lesion is cut out, or Mohs surgery, which removes the cancer layer by layer until all abnormal cells are gone. Jill Biden had the Mohs surgery to remove her lesions.
More on Skin Cancer
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Other treatment options include:
- Freezing the lump
- Chemotherapy (using medicine to kill the cancerous cells)
- Photodynamic therapy, which combines photosensitizing drugs and light to treat superficial skin cancers.
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