Recognizing Basal Cell Carcinoma
- After a persistent, changing spot was initially dismissed, Canadian mom Liliya Leheta, 38, was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma and is now cancer-free after surgery, highlighting the importance of seeking another opinion when skin changes persist.
- It is important to treat BCC early because, while it is highly curable and typically slow-growing, lesions can grow and become disfiguring and dangerous.
- When someone undergoes surgery for BCC, it typically involves Mohs surgery. This procedure is microscopically controlled, and thin layers of skin cancer tissue are removed layer by layer until the surgeon reaches clear tissue.
- BCC can often be overlooked as a pimple or skin tag. The lesions can look like open sores, red patches, pink growths, shiny bumps, scars or growths with slightly elevated, rolled edges and/or a central indentation. These spots may ooze, crust, itch or bleed.
- If you have a skin cancer screening coming up or have recently had one, you may have questions you want answered. SurvivorNet’s proprietary AI tool “My Health Questions” is designed specifically for patients and caregivers.
Sharing her story with the Toronto Star, as per The Hamilton Spectator, Leheta recalled developing peeling skin on her chest after spending a sunny day outdoors in March 2023. Several months later, she noticed a red spot in the same area. Over the following two years, the spot grew, changed in appearance and began to bleed, but a dermatologist initially attributed it to “dry skin” and “nothing to worry about.”
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Leheta, who was reassured by a walk-in dermatologist in fall 2024 that her symptoms were not a cause for concern, explained, “It wasn’t itchy or anything, it was just very slowly growing. Later, it started changing shape and in some spots it would be bleeding. That’s what made me take it more serious.”
Looking back on that walk-in visit, she continued, “Maybe [the dermatologist] thought I was young and it’s nothing to worry about, but he didn’t take his time. I felt worried and helpless because these types of things shouldn’t be just ignored.”
Several months later, after noticing that the mole had changed, Leheta went to a walk-in clinic and requested a referral to a specialist. When that request was denied, she sought care at a skin cancer clinic instead—which her friend referred her to.
Leheta credited the Petersen/Turofsky Melanoma & Skin Oncology Rapid Assessment Program with quickly evaluating her suspicious mole, where a dermatologist advised her to have it removed as soon as possible.
She ultimately had the mole surgically removed in December 2025.
The mole and surrounding tissue were biopsied, and fortunately, the results showed that the cancer had not spread.
Her journey highlights why persistent or changing skin symptoms may warrant another medical opinion.
Why Self-Advocacy in Healthcare Can Be Life-Saving
When patients, like Leheta, actively advocate for their health, it can lead to earlier diagnoses, broader treatment options, and ultimately better outcomes—especially when initial symptoms are overlooked or dismissed.
Part of this advocacy means not settling for a single medical opinion. Persistence matters: revisiting your doctor, pushing for answers, and seeking additional perspectives from other healthcare providers can be crucial steps in the journey.
WATCH: The value of getting a second opinion
Getting another opinion may also help you avoid doctor biases. For example, some surgeons own radiation treatment centers. “So there may be a conflict of interest if you present to a surgeon who is recommending radiation because there is some ownership of that type of facility,” Dr. Jim Hu, director of robotic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical Center, tells SurvivorNet.
Other reasons to get a second opinion include:
- To see a doctor who has more experience treating your type of cancer
- You have a rare type of cancer
- There are several ways to treat your cancer
- You feel like your doctor isn’t listening to you, or isn’t giving you sound advice
- You have trouble understanding your doctor
- You don’t like the treatment your doctor is recommending, or you’re worried about its possible side effects
- Your insurance company wants you to get another medical opinion
- Your cancer isn’t improving on your current treatment
WATCH: The Importance Of Getting A Second Opinion: Tara Lessard Shares Her Cancer Story.
Some health insurance companies will cover the cost of a second opinion. Still, it’s a good idea to find out if yours does before you visit a new doctor, as some insurance companies have stipulations on the extent of coverage they will provide.
Keep in mind that you don’t need to stop at a second opinion. Provided that you have the time and financial resources, you may want to consider getting a third or a fourth opinion. Just don’t get so many opinions that your treatment options overwhelm you.
With each new doctor you visit, bring a copy of your:
- Pathology report from your biopsy or surgery
- Surgical report
- Imaging tests
- The treatment plan that your current doctor recommended
How Dangerous Is Basal Cell Carcinoma?
Basal cell carcinoma, or BCC, is the most common form of skin cancer. It develops when basal cells, one of three main types of cells in the top layer of the skin, grow abnormally or uncontrollably. In the United States, an estimated 3.6 million cases of BCC are diagnosed each year.
BCC is unique because it tends to grow slowly. This means it generally causes minimal damage and is usually curable when caught and treated early. Still, untreated BCC lesions can grow and become disfiguring and dangerous.
Expert Skin Cancer Resources
- Treatment For Basal Cell Carcinoma: Mohs Surgery Removes This Skin Cancer With Smaller Incisions and More Certainty
- 3 Skin Cancer Myths, Busted: Can One Bad Sun Burn Cause Cancer?
- A 17% Decreased Risk of Skin Cancer Just By Eating More Cantaloupes, Carrots, and Sweet Potatoes
- Can I Get Skin Cancer On My Genitals Even Though They’ve NEVER Seen The Sun?
- Cancer Patients With Dark Skin At Increased Risk of Painful Radiation Side Effects, New Research
- Do The UV Lamps At Nail Salons Increase Risk Of Skin Cancer?
- Examining Your Skin for Melanoma: Remember ABCDE
“Untreated BCCs can become locally invasive, grow wide and deep into the skin and destroy skin, tissue and bone,” the Skin Cancer Foundation website says. “The longer you wait to get treatment, the more likely it is that the BCC will recur, sometimes repeatedly.
“There are some highly unusual, aggressive cases when BCC spreads to other parts of the body. In even rarer instances, this type of BCC can become life-threatening.”
Mohs Surgery Removes Skin Cancer With Smaller Incisions and More Certainty
There are some “highly unusual, aggressive cases when BCC spreads to other parts of the body.” Rarer cases of aggressive BCC can even become life-threatening.
Still, BCCs rarely spread beyond the original tumor site. But the longer treatment is delayed, the more likely it is that the BCC will recur, sometimes repeatedly. That’s why we stress the importance of treating BCC and treating it early. This can prove difficult, however, because BCC can often disguise itself as a pimple or skin tag.
The Skin Cancer Foundation says they can look like open sores, red patches, pink growths, shiny bumps, scars or growths with slightly elevated, rolled edges and/or a central indentation. The spots can ooze, crust, itch or bleed, and spots on people with darker skin can be pigmented (brown in color).
If you ever find yourself noticing a spot on your skin that seems abnormal for you, make sure to bring it up with your doctor. BCC can vary from person to person, so it’s always a good idea to pay attention to your skin, confront your doctor about anything questionable and prioritize checkups with a dermatologist.
Treating Basal Cell Carcinoma
When someone undergoes surgery for BCC, it typically involves Mohs surgery. This procedure is microscopically controlled, and thin layers of skin cancer tissue are removed layer by layer until the surgeon reaches clear tissue.
Diagnosis: Before surgery, a dermatologist or skin specialist will diagnose the basal cell carcinoma. This is typically done through a skin biopsy, where a small sample of the affected area is removed and examined under a microscope to confirm the presence of cancerous cells.
Pre-operative evaluation: Once the diagnosis is confirmed, the patient’s overall health and the specific characteristics of the BCC, such as its size, location, and depth, are evaluated to determine the most appropriate surgical approach.
“You are able to remove a very conservative margin around cancer and study it in essentially real-time,,” explains Dr. Sumaira Aasi, Professor of Dermatology and Director of Mohs and Dermatologic Surgery at Stanford. If cancer is found when the surgeon examines the tissue under the microscope, the surgeon goes back and removes some more tissue.
The idea is that by making the tiniest cuts and evaluating them microscopically, the surgeon knows for certain that all the cancer is out when the last piece of tissue proves to be clear. It is often done as an outpatient procedure with local anesthetic.
Reconstruction: Depending on the size and location of the surgical site, reconstructive surgery may be necessary to optimize cosmetic outcomes and restore the function of the treated area. This could involve sutures, skin grafts, or other techniques.
Post-operative care: After the surgery, patients are typically given instructions for wound care, which may include keeping the area clean, changing dressings, and avoiding sun exposure to prevent further damage to the skin.
Follow-up: Regular follow-up appointments are essential to monitor the surgical site for any signs of recurrence and to address any concerns or complications.
Which Sunscreen Should I Choose To Prevent Cancer?
Skin Cancer Checklist:
In between doctor visits, doing regular self-checks on your skin is also important to find skin cancer early. Again, particularly if you’re high-risk.
Dr. Cecilia Larocca, a dermatologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, recommends looking at your skin once a month for anything suspicious and using the acronym ABCDE as a checklist:
- Asymmetrical moles: if you drew a line straight down the center of the mole, would the sides match
- Borders: irregular, jagged, not smooth; can also stand for bleeding
- Colors: multiple distinct colors in the mole
- Diameter: larger than 6mm, about the size of a pencil head eraser
- Evolution: This may be the most important, anything that is changing over time such as gaining color, losing color, painful, itching, or changing shape.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you are diagnosed with skin cancer, you may have some questions for your doctor. SurvivorNet suggests some of the following to help you on your cancer journey.
- What type of skin cancer do I have?
- What treatment options exist for this type of cancer?
- Will insurance cover this treatment?
- Would treatment through a clinical trial make sense to me?
- What resources exist to help manage my anxiety because of this diagnosis?
If you have a skin cancer screening coming up or have recently had one, you may have questions you want answered. SurvivorNet’s proprietary AI tool “My Health Questions” is designed specifically for patients and caregivers.
WATCH: How One Cancer Survivor and Her Sister Used “My Health Questions” to Navigate Care
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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