In either case the cancer may develop an open sore that does not heal. Squamous cell cancers form either a flat scaly growth or a hard, red, conical bump on exposed skin . Here again a sore that refuses to heal may appear. Melanoma can appear as a small irregularly shaped growth with blue, red, or white colored spots . Other forms of this cancer produce shiny bumps ranging from white to black in color.
Open sores can develop on the bumps.
Sometimes dark-colored growths appear on the tips of fingers or toes, on the palms, soles of the feet , or even on mucous membranes. Melanoma also can develop in moles, causing them to change shape and color. Treatment options Surgical removal of the cancerous growth and a portion of the surrounding skin is usually required for skin cancer, although very small cancers or those deemed to be precancerous sores may be removed by freezing with liquid nitrogen or by some other means. Melanoma usually requires the widest safety margin because it spreads so quickly. With melanomas chances of successful treatment drop sharply when the growth is allowed to develop past the early stages.