Stages and Treatment for Squamous and Basal Cell Skin Cancers
Stage 0. Cancer is only in the outermost layer of skin.
Stage 1. Cancer is not larger than 2 centimeters.
Has no or only one high-risk feature.
High-risk features include being thicker than 2 millimeters, growing down below the outer level of skin, growing into nerves, growing on the ear or lip, and looking abnormal under a microscope.
Stage 2. Cancer is larger than 2 centimeters, or any size if it has two or more high-risk features.
Stage 3. Cancer has spread to the bones of the face, or has spread to a close lymph node that is smaller than 3 centimeters.
Stage 4. Cancer has spread to bones outside the face or to distant parts of the body.
Nonmelanoma cancers have a high survival rate.
Treatment for stages 1 through are successful and are local therapies.
Local therapy includes:
Surgery to remove the cancer including laser surgery.
Microscopic surgical removal (Mohs surgery)
X-ray treatments
Cryosurgery
Scraping and burning with an electric needle
Photodynamic therapy.
Topical cancer drugs.