Nine out of 10 skin cancers are of the mildest form, known as basal cell cancers or rodent ulcers. Basal cell cancers grow slowly and rarely spread. They can usually be successfully removed. Second most common are squamous cell cancers. These also grow slowly but can grow very large and spread to other areas.
Malignant melanoma is the most dangerous kind of skin cancer.
It develops and spreads rapidly and can be fatal if not treated promptly. Your health care provider may remove part or all of the growth and send it to the lab for examination under a microscope. This shows whether or not the growth is cancer and what type of cancer it is. Skin cancers are removed surgically. The cancerous area may be replaced by a skin graft to avoid an unsightly scar.