Understanding Skin Cancer

This booklet has been prepared to help you understand more about the two most common types of skin cancer - basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). These are often called non-melanoma skin cancer or keratinocyte cancers.

Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have skin cancer. We hope this booklet will help you, your family and friends understand how skin cancer is diagnosed and treated. We cannot give advice about the best treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, this information may answer some of your questions and help you think about what to ask your treatment team.

This booklet does not need to be read from cover to cover - just read the parts that are useful to you. Some medical terms that may be unfamiliar are explained in the glossary.