Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the U.S. It occurs in more than a million people each year, including many older people. There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Of the three, melanoma is the most serious. Skin cancer occurs when abnormal cells form and multiply in an uncontrolled way in the epidermis, or abnormal cells from the epidermis invade the dermis of the skin. Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma are skin cancers that are named for the epidermal cells from which they develop.

What is Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer among light skinned individuals. It is the commonest cancer in the United States and in Australia. Each year, about one million people are diagnosed with this cancer. In 85 percent of these cases, the skin damage leading to the cancer occurs before an individual is 18.

Skin Cancer Classification

Skin Cancer Causes

Skin Cancer Diagnosis

Skin Cancer Prevention

Skin Cancer Management

Skin Cancer Pathology

Skin Cancer Symptoms

Hair Follicle Tumors

Rare Skin Cancers

Does Aspirin Increase Your Risk of Skin Cancer?

Understanding the Diversity of Skin Cancers

Latest Skin Cancer News and Research

Research explores how photo-oxidized sterols kill melanoma cells

Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. Although less common, it is the most serious due to its high potential for metastasis.

16 Apr 2025

Empa scientists create innovative hydrogel for simulating the human skin

Growing cells in the laboratory is an art that humans have mastered decades ago. Recreating entire three-dimensional tissues is much more challenging.

16 Apr 2025

Blood test for tumor DNA may predict melanoma recurrence

Monitoring blood levels of DNA fragments shed by dying tumor cells may accurately predict skin cancer recurrence, a new study shows.

15 Apr 2025

Boosting tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy with the power of B cells

Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center have found that tapping into the body's own immune system and activating a type of immune cell known as B cells, could be the key to boosting the effectiveness of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte, or TIL therapy.

11 Apr 2025

GSK3β identified as a driver of drug resistance in BRAF mutant melanoma

A new research perspective was published in Oncotarget, Volume 16, on April 4, 2025, titled "GSK3β activation is a key driver of resistance to Raf inhibition in BRAF mutant melanoma cells."

11 Apr 2025

Protein linked to Parkinson's also found to drive melanoma growth

A small protein involved in neurodegeneration leading to Parkinson's disease also drives a type of skin cancer known as melanoma, new research led by Oregon Health & Science University finds.

9 Apr 2025

New 3D imaging technique enhances basal cell carcinoma diagnosis

Researchers from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the National Healthcare Group (NHG) have jointly pioneered an innovative imaging technique combining Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) with artificial intelligence (AI) that could significantly improve the diagnosis and treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common form of skin cancer worldwide.

8 Apr 2025

Blocking an enzyme to overcome immunotherapy resistance in melanoma patients

About 65% of melanoma patients do not respond to immunotherapy. New work by the team of Prof. Max Mazzone (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology) discovered that an enzyme called HPGDS (expressed in a specific subset of macrophages), plays a key role in immunotherapy resistance.

7 Apr 2025

Enhancing skin cancer screening with 3D imaging technology

The potential for 3D photography to improve melanoma early detection is a topic of increasing interest in the medical community.

27 Mar 2025

City of Hope researchers uncover the two-step process of tumor formation

Researchers at City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. with its National Medical Center named top 5 in the nation for cancer by U.S. News & World Report, have found that cell mutations are necessary but not always sufficient for tumors to form.

26 Mar 2025

Melanoma cells use stealth strategy to survive targeted therapy

Researchers have uncovered a stealth survival strategy that melanoma cells use to evade targeted therapy, offering a promising new approach to improving treatment outcomes.

20 Mar 2025

Yale scientists develop advanced CRISPR tool to study complex genetic interactions

Advances in the gene-editing technology known as CRISPR-Cas9 over the past 15 years have yielded important new insights into the roles that specific genes play in many diseases.

20 Mar 2025

White wine vs. red wine: Which poses a greater cancer risk?

A new meta-analysis finds no overall difference in cancer risk between red and white wine consumption, though white wine may raise skin cancer risk. Both wines are linked to higher breast cancer risk, debunking the myth that red wine is a "healthier" alcoholic choice.

16 Mar 2025

Targeting MARCO enhances cancer immunotherapy effectiveness

Researchers from Moffitt Cancer Center have found a new way to boost cancer immunotherapy by targeting a protein called macrophage receptor with collagenous structure, or MARCO.

13 Mar 2025

Examining skin cancer risk perceptions and reported sunburns among U.S. adults

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and a significant health issue, with millions of non-melanoma cases and tens of thousands of melanomas diagnosed annually. Furthermore, treating skin cancer costs the U.S. approximately $8.9 billion annually.

12 Mar 2025

Targeted alpha therapy offers new hope for treating metastatic melanoma

Metastatic melanoma, also known as stage IV melanoma, is a type of skin cancer that spreads to other parts of the body.

12 Mar 2025

Environmental factors and genes play key role in cancer development

A new editorial was published in Oncotarget, Volume 16, on March 10, 2025, titled "EXPOSOMES and GENES: The duo influencing CANCER initiation and progression."

11 Mar 2025

Study questions the health benefits of red wine over white wine

A common perception is that not all alcoholic beverages are alike. Red wine, for instance, is often considered a healthier choice, with many believing its high resveratrol content - an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties - offers protection against cancer.

10 Mar 2025

Study sheds new light on brain evolution

In a new study published in Science, a Belgian research team explores how genetic switches controlling gene activity define brain cell types across species.

17 Feb 2025

Innovative photodynamic therapy targets melanoma with light-activated dyes

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive skin cancers, with over 300,000 new cases reported worldwide each year. In Europe, the number of diagnoses has been rising rapidly.

17 Feb 2025