Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Put on a broad-brimmed hat that shades your face and neckWear sun protective clothing that covers as much of your body as possibleSeek shadeWear wrap-around sunglassesApply SPF30+ broad spectrum water resistant sunscreen every two hours
PROTECT YOURSELF IN FIVE WAYS FROM SKIN CANCER

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC)

Fact sheet on basal cell carcinoma (BCC)

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) arises from the cells at the bottom (or basal) part of the outer layer of the skin.

BCC:

  • is known as a non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC)
  • is the most common and least dangerous form of skin cancer
  • appears as a round or flattened lump or scaly area
  • is red, pale or pearly in colour
  • grows slowly, usually on the head, neck and upper torso
  • may become ulcerated as it grows
  • appears on skin most often exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) - the head, neck, forearms and upper body
  • is usually able to be treated if detected early
  • In 2002, 96 per cent of people with BCC were aged 40 years or older1
  • 296,000 new cases of BCC were estimated to have been diagnosed in 20082
For more information on types of skin cancer, see the Australasian College of Dermatologists website.

1 National Cancer Control Initiative 2003. The 2002 national non-melanoma skin cancer survey: A report by the NCCI Non-melanoma Skin Cancer Working Group for the state and territory cancer councils. Melbourne. NCCI
2 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and Australasian Association of Cancer Registries (2008). Cancer in Australia: an overview, 2008. AIHW cat. no. CAN 32. Canberra, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.