Why Choose Us for Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Treatment
Huntsman Cancer Institute鈥檚 Skin Cancer Care Team provides comprehensive, state-of-the-art care for people with non-melanoma skin cancers, including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
We use a multidisciplinary team approach to serve our patients. Together, we review each case, coordinate treatment, and plan follow-up care to ensure you or your loved one receives compassionate support at every step.
Specialized Treatments
Our experts specialize in personalized treatment plans, offering the most advanced treatments available. We work closely with each patient to decide which of the following treatments or combination of treatments is best for them:
- Surgery
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted therapy
- Biologic therapy
- Photodynamic therapy
We also care for people with a family history of skin cancer. And, in partnership with 亚洲自慰视频 of Utah 亚洲自慰视频 Dermatology 亚洲自慰视频, we provide care for people at a higher-than-average risk for developing skin cancer.
Our Expertise
As the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Mountain West, we are leading the way in skin cancer treatment and research. We offer the most advanced treatments available, groundbreaking clinical trials, and unparalleled expertise.
Through telehealth, outreach, and education, Huntsman is expanding access to lifesaving screenings and therapies to all people throughout the Mountain West, including rural and frontier communities who live far from care.
Patient Care Philosophy
We believe no one should face cancer alone. Our dedicated and world-renowned doctors, nurses, and medical staff are at the forefront of patient-centered care. We treat the whole person, not just their cancer.
Each day, our medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists work together across disciplines to create and coordinate treatment plans for every patient. We understand cancer is a complex disease. That is why we use a team approach that includes social workers and support groups, as well as wellness and integrative health services such as acupuncture, massage, creative arts, and more.
Find a Skin Cancer Specialist
Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Research
Huntsman Cancer Institute is a leader in skin cancer research, making discoveries that are changing how this disease is prevented, detected, and treated. We lead and participate in national and international clinical trials, including studies focused on early detection and promising new treatments. With the largest Phase 1 clinical trials program in the Mountain West, Huntsman Cancer Institute gives skin cancer patients access to cutting-edge therapies not widely available elsewhere.
Clinical Trials
Make an Appointment with a Skin Cancer Specialist
To make an appointment with a skin cancer specialist, fill out our appointment form or call 801-587-7000. Our team will determine if your insurance covers treatment at Huntsman Cancer Institute or if you need a referral from a primary care doctor.
External providers can refer a patient using the online referral form or by calling 801-587-7000 to speak to a patient registration specialist.
Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Basics
These are the most common types of non-melanoma skin cancers:
Basal cell carcinoma
A type of skin cancer that starts in basal cells, a type of cell responsible for producing new skin cells when old ones die. It occurs mostly on areas of the skin that are frequently exposed to the sun, including the head and the neck.
Squamous cell carcinoma
A type of skin cancer that starts in squamous cells, which makes up the outer layer of the skin. It is most often caused by ultraviolet radiation.
Layers of the Skin
The skin, showing the epidermis (including the squamous cell and basal cell layers), dermis, subcutaneous tissue, and other parts of the skin.
These are signs of non-melanoma skin cancer:
- A sore that does not heal
- Unusual areas of the skin:
- Raised, smooth, shiny, and pearly
- Firm and like a scar; may be white, yellow, or waxy
- Raised and red or reddish-brown
- Scaly, bleeding, or crusty
Many other health problems can also cause these signs. If you have any of these signs, see your doctor as soon as possible.
Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean you are sure to get cancer. It means your chances are higher than the average person鈥檚. Talk with your doctor to learn more about your cancer risk. Protecting your skin is an important part of skin cancer prevention.
These are risk factors for non-melanoma skin cancer:
- A personal history of skin cancer
- A family history of skin cancer or unusual moles (atypical nevus syndrome)
- Having had sunburns that blistered, especially as a 亚洲自慰视频 or teenager
- Having several large or small moles
- Having fair skin that freckles and burns easily, does not tan or tans poorly, light-colored eyes, and/or red or blond hair
- Having radiation treatments in the past
- Having actinic keratoses (pre-cancers)
- Having a weakened immune system
Learn more about ways to prevent skin cancer and about cancer screenings.
Screening looks for cancer before you have symptoms. Screening can also check for anything unusual if you notice changes in your skin. Screening can rule out an issue or help find cancer at an early stage, when it may be easier to treat.
Doctors use these tests to screen for and diagnose non-melanoma skin cancers:
Skin exam
A health care provider checks for moles, birthmarks, or other pigmented areas that look abnormal in color, size, shape, or texture.
Biopsy
The health care provider removes a tissue sample that can be viewed under a microscope to check for signs of cancer.
Staging is the process that shows whether cancer has spread within or around the skin or to other parts of the body. Cancer spreads in the body in three ways: through tissue, the lymph system, or the blood.
Staging details depend on the specific type of skin cancer, but most types are staged from 0 to 4. The higher the number, the more the cancer has spread.
When cancer spreads from where it started to another part of the body, it is called metastasis. These metastatic cancer cells are the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if skin cancer spreads to the bone, the cancer cells in the bone are actually skin cancer cells. The disease is metastatic skin cancer, not bone cancer.
