Skin Cancer (Non-Melanoma)

ON THIS PAGE: You will find information about the estimated number of people who will be diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer each year. You will read also general information on surviving the disease. Remember, survival rates depend on several factors, and no 2 people with cancer are the same. Use the menu to see other pages.

Every person is different, with different factors influencing their risk of being diagnosed with this cancer and the chance of recovery after a diagnosis. It is important to talk with your doctor about any questions you have around the general statistics provided below and what they may mean for you individually. The original sources for these statistics are provided at the bottom of this page.

How many people are diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer?

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. Because non-melanoma skin cancer/keratinocyte carcinoma is so common and most often curable, statistics are estimated. This is because individual cases are not usually reported to cancer registries.

In 2012, it was estimated that 5.4 million cases of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were diagnosed in the United States among 3.3 million people. Some people are diagnosed with more than 1 skin cancer. The number of non-melanoma skin cancers has been growing for several years. This is likely due to earlier detection of the disease, increased sun exposure, and longer life spans. Basal cell carcinoma is far more common than squamous cell carcinoma. About 80% of non-melanoma skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma.

In the United States, the rate of non-melanoma skin cancer deaths from these skin cancers have been declining in recent years. It is estimated that about 2,000 people die from basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer each year. Older adults and people with a suppressed immune system have a higher risk of dying from these types of skin cancer. It is estimated that 7,990 people will die from melanoma in the United States in 2023. For other, less common types of skin cancer, 4,480 people are estimated to die in 2023.

Approximately 2,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with Merkel cell cancer each year. This number has been rising rapidly the last few decades. A significant majority of people diagnosed with the disease are older than 70, and 90% of Merkel cell cancer diagnoses occur in White people. Percent means how many out of 100. Men are twice as likely to be diagnosed with the disease than women.

What is the survival rate for non-melanoma skin cancer?

There are different types of statistics that can help doctors evaluate a person’s chance of recovery from non-melanoma skin cancer. These are called survival statistics. A specific type of survival statistic is called the relative survival rate. It is often used to predict how having cancer may affect life expectancy. Relative survival rate looks at how likely people with non-melanoma skin cancer are to survive for a certain amount of time after their initial diagnosis or start of treatment compared to the expected survival of similar people without this cancer.

Example: Here is an example to help explain what a relative survival rate means. Please note this is only an example and not specific to this type of cancer. Let’s assume that the 5-year relative survival rate for a specific type of cancer is 90%. “Percent” means how many out of 100. Imagine there are 1,000 people without cancer, and based on their age and other characteristics, you expect 900 of the 1,000 to be alive in 5 years. Also imagine there are another 1,000 people similar in age and other characteristics as the first 1,000, but they all have the specific type of cancer that has a 5-year survival rate of 90%. This means it is expected that 810 of the people with the specific cancer (90% of 900) will be alive in 5 years.

It is important to remember that statistics on the survival rates for people with non-melanoma skin cancer are only an estimate. They cannot tell an individual person if cancer will or will not shorten their life. Instead, these statistics describe trends in groups of people previously diagnosed with the same disease, including specific stages of the disease.

Because non-melanoma skin cancer can often be cured, there is very little information on survival rates for basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

The 5-year relative survival rate for Merkel cell cancer is 65%.

The survival rates for Merkel cell cancer vary based on several factors. These include the stage of cancer, a person’s age and general health, and how well the treatment plan works.

If Merkel cell cancer is found early, before it has spread from where it started, the 5-year relative survival rate is 75%. If the cancer has spread to nearby tissues or organs and/or the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year relative survival rate is 61%. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped organs that help fight infection. If the cancer has spread to other, distant parts of the body, the 5-year relative survival rate is 24%.

Experts measure relative survival rate statistics for non-melanoma skin cancer every 5 years. This means the estimate may not reflect the results of advancements in how non-melanoma skin cancer is diagnosed or treated from the last 5 years. Talk with your doctor if you have any questions about this information. Learn more about understanding statistics .

Statistics adapted from the American Cancer Society's (ACS) publication, Cancer Facts & Figures 2023, the ACS website, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer website. (All sources accessed March 2023.)

The next section in this guide is Medical Illustrations . It offers a drawing of the structures and layers that make up the skin. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about the factors that increase the chance of developing non-melanoma skin cancer. Use the menu to see other pages.

A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Although risk factors can influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people with several risk factors never develop cancer, while others with no known risk factors do. Knowing your risk factors and talking about them with your doctor may help you make more informed lifestyle and health care choices.

The following factors may raise a person’s risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer:

• Sun exposure. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun plays a major role in the development of skin cancer. People who live at high altitudes or in areas with bright sunlight year-round have a higher risk of developing skin cancer. People who spend a lot of time outside during the midday hours also have a higher risk. Recreational suntanning should be avoided to reduce the risk of skin cancer.

  Exposure to ultraviolet type B (UVB) radiation appears to be more closely linked with skin cancer, but ultraviolet type A (UVA) may also play a role in the development of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma . UVB radiation causes sunburn and does not penetrate car windows or other types of glass. However, UVA can pass through glass and may cause aging and wrinkling of the skin in addition to skin cancer. Therefore, it is important to protect your skin from both UVA and UVB radiation (see “Prevention,” below).

  Because Merkel cell cancer often occurs on the sun-exposed areas of the head and neck, many doctors think that sun exposure may also be a risk factor for this type of cancer.

• Weakened or suppressed immune system. People with a weakened immune system due to a bone marrow/stem cell transplant, organ transplant, or a disease such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or certain types of leukemia have a higher risk of developing skin cancer, particularly squamous cell carcinoma. People taking immunosuppressive drugs have the same higher risk.

• Indoor tanning. People who previously have used or actively use tanning beds, tanning parlors, or sun lamps have an increased risk of developing all types of skin cancer. There is no safe amount of indoor tanning. Any use of indoor tanning devices increases the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma, and this risk increases with more use of indoor tanning.

• Fair skin/complexion. People with lighter colored skin, blond or red hair, blue eyes, and freckles are at increased risk for developing skin cancer. People whose skin has a tendency to burn rather than tan also have an increased risk. However, all people, regardless of skin color, are at risk for developing skin cancer.

• Race/ethnicity. Lighter-skinned people are more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, Merkel cell cancer, and melanoma. However, darker-skinned people can still develop the disease.

• Precancerous skin conditions. Rough, red, or brown scaly patches on the skin, called actinic keratoses or Bowen's disease, are usually more common in areas exposed to the sun. These areas can change into squamous cell cancers in a small number of people. The more actinic keratoses a person has, the higher the risk that they will develop a squamous cell carcinoma. Using a broad-spectrum sunscreen throughout the year that protects against both UVA and UVB radiation and has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or more helps decrease the risk of developing actinic keratoses. See the "Prevention" section below for more information about protecting your skin from the sun.

• Gender. The number of older White men and younger White women who have developed skin cancer in recent years has increased. Also, in general, men are more likely to develop Merkel cell cancer.

• Age. Most basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas typically appear after age 50. However, in recent years, the number of skin cancers in people age 65 and older has increased dramatically. This may be due in part to better screening and patient tracking efforts in skin cancer. Younger people can also develop non-melanoma skin cancer, especially if they have lighter skin, an inherited (genetic) syndrome that puts them at high risk (see below), or been exposed to significant amounts of radiation or UV radiation from the sun. Merkel cell cancer is most common in people older than age 70.

• A history of sunburns or fragile skin. Skin that has been burned, sunburned, or injured from disease has a higher risk of skin cancer. Squamous cell and basal cell carcinoma occur more often in people who have more exposure to the sun or other sources of UV radiation over their lifetime.

• Previous skin cancer. People who have had any form of skin cancer have a higher risk of developing another skin cancer. From 35% to 50% of people diagnosed with 1 basal cell carcinoma will develop a new skin cancer within 5 years. Therefore, people who have had 1 skin cancer need ongoing follow-up care to watch for additional cancers. See the Follow-up Care section for more information.

• Inherited syndromes. Certain rare genetic conditions are associated with an increased risk of developing basal cell carcinoma. These conditions include nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome , which is also called Gorlin syndrome, and the very rare Rombo, Bazex-Dupré-Christol, and epidermolysis bullosa simplex syndromes, among others. Rare syndromes associated with an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma include xeroderma pigmentosum , albinism, epidermolysis bullosa simplex, dyskeratosis congenita, and multiple self-healing squamous epitheliomata.

• Medications. In addition to medications that suppress the immune system, certain steroids and medications that make the skin very sensitive to sunburns have all been shown to increase a person’s risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma. Examples include vandetanib (Caprelsa), vemurafenib (Zelboraf), and voriconazole (Vfend). Certain BRAF inhibitor targeted therapies, including dabrafenib (Tafinlar), encorafenib (Braftovi), and vemurafenib, have been shown to increase a person’s risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by turning on a growth pathway in cells that tend to turn into this type of cancer (for example, cells with an HRAS mutation).

• Previous treatment with radiation therapy. When a person receives radiation therapy to treat cancer, they have a higher risk of developing basal cell carcinoma. This risk increases over time, especially after 10 to 20 years. As a result, children who receive radiation therapy have a 6 times higher risk for developing a basal cell carcinoma.

• Human papillomavirus (HPV). Research shows that the HPV virus is a risk factor for squamous cell carcinoma, particularly if the person’s immune system becomes suppressed. Sexual activity with someone who has HPV is the most common way someone gets HPV. There are different types of HPV, called strains. Research links some HPV strains more strongly with certain types of cancers. HPV vaccines can prevent people from developing certain cancers. Learn more about HPV and cancer.

• Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV). Research indicates that there is a link between this virus and Merkel cell cancer. MCV is present in up to an estimated 80% of Merkel cell cancers. However, scientists believe MCV is common, while Merkel cell cancer is not. More research is needed to learn the role of MCV in this connection.

• Arsenic exposure. Exposure to the poison arsenic may increase the risk of Merkel cell cancer.

Prevention

Different factors cause different types of cancer. Researchers continue to look into what factors cause non-melanoma skin cancers, including ways to prevent it. Although there is no proven way to completely prevent skin cancer, you may be able to lower your risk. Talk with your health care team for more information about your personal risk of cancer.

Reducing exposure to UV radiation, particularly by reducing time spent in the sun and avoiding indoor tanning, lowers the risk of developing skin cancer. This is important for people of all ages and is especially important for people who have other risk factors (see above). Sun damage builds up over time. The following steps can reduce sun exposure and avoid sunburn:

• Limit or avoid direct exposure to the sun between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

• Wear sun-protective clothing, including a wide-brimmed hat that shades the face, neck, and ears. Clothes made from fabric labeled with UV protection factor (UPF) may provide better protection. UV-protective sunglasses are also recommended.

• Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen throughout the year that protects against both UVA and UVB radiation and is SPF 30 or more. Reapply at least 1 ounce of sunscreen to your entire body every 2 hours or every hour after heavy sweating or being in the water.

• Avoid recreational sunbathing.

• Do not use sun lamps, tanning beds, or tanning salons.

• Examine the skin regularly. This should include examinations by a health care professional and self-examinations. Learn more about how to do a self-examination .

• In research, taking 500mg of nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, as a tablet twice daily showed a reduction in skin cancers other than melanoma by 23% in people who had 2 or more previous skin cancers. Talk with your doctor before taking any supplements.

Learn more about protecting your skin from the sun .

Limiting your sun exposure may reduce your body’s production of vitamin D, although some research suggests that most people may only need 15 minutes of sunlight exposure daily to produce enough vitamin D. People with limited sun exposure should talk with their doctor about how to include good sources of vitamin D in their diet, including the use of supplements. Your levels of vitamin D can be checked by your doctor using a simple blood test.

The next section in this guide is Screening . It describes the early warning signs of skin cancer and how to perform a self-examination. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about changes and other things that can signal a problem that may need medical care. Use the menu to see other pages.

People with a basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or Merkel cell cancer may experience the following symptoms or signs. Symptoms are changes that you can feel in your body. Signs are changes in something measured, like by taking your blood pressure or doing a lab test. Together, symptoms and signs can help describe a medical problem. Sometimes, people with non-melanoma skin cancer do not have any of the symptoms and signs described below. Or, the cause of a symptom or sign may be a medical condition that is not cancer.

Changes in the skin are the main warning sign for skin cancer. Each type of skin cancer can appear differently, so it is important to talk with your doctor when you notice a change in your skin. The skin features that frequently develop are listed below.

For basal cell carcinoma , 2 or more of the following features may be present:

• An open sore that bleeds, oozes, or crusts and remains open for several weeks

• A reddish, raised patch or irritated area that may crust or itch, but rarely hurts

• A shiny pink, red, pearly white, or translucent bump

• A pink growth with an elevated border and crusted central indentation

• A scar-like, white, yellow, or waxy area, often with a poorly defined border

See pictures of these features of basal cell carcinoma . (Please note that this link will take you to a separate website.)

Squamous cell carcinoma can often crust, bleed, and appear as:

• A wart-like growth

• A persistent, scaly red patch with irregular borders that may bleed easily

• An open sore that persists for weeks

• A raised growth with a rough surface and a central depression

See pictures of these signs of squamous cell carcinoma . (Please note that this link will take you to a separate website.)

Merkel cell cancer often occurs as:

• Painless, firm, shiny lumps on the skin

• These lumps can be red, pink, or blue

Some types of skin cancer spread along the nerves. If this happens, it can cause itching, pain, numbness, tingling, or a feeling like there are ants crawling under the skin. Other signs may include a lump or bump under the skin in areas such as the neck, armpit, or groin.

If you are concerned about any changes you experience, please talk with your doctor. Your doctor will ask how long and how often you’ve been experiencing the symptom(s), in addition to other questions. This may include when you first noticed the skin feature, how long it has been there, and any other symptoms you may be experiencing. This is to help figure out the cause of the problem, called a diagnosis.

For most cases of skin cancer, removing the cancer with surgery or using a topical treatment will cure the disease. In more complicated cases, a multidisciplinary team of doctors will meet with a patient to discuss different types of treatments to develop a plan with the best chances of curing or controlling this disease (see Types of Treatment ).

Particularly with advanced skin cancer, relieving symptoms will be an important part of cancer care and treatment. Managing symptoms may also be called "palliative care" or "supportive care." Once started, it is continued throughout treatment. Be sure to talk with your health care team about the symptoms you experience, including any new symptoms or a change in symptoms.

The next section in this guide is Diagnosis . It explains what tests may be needed to learn more about the cause of the symptoms. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.

ON THIS PAGE: You will learn about how doctors describe a cancer’s growth or spread. This is called the stage. Use the menu to see other pages.

What is cancer staging?

Staging is a way of describing where the cancer is located, if or where it has spread, and whether it is affecting other parts of the body.

Doctors use diagnostic tests to find out the cancer's stage, so staging may not be complete until all the tests are finished. Knowing the stage helps the doctor recommend the best kind of treatment, and it can help predict a patient's prognosis, which is the chance of recovery.

This page provides information about how doctors find the stage of skin cancer and the stage groups for Merkel cell cancer, such as stage II or stage IV.

• Staging for basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma

• Staging for Merkel cell cancer

Staging for basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma

There is no staging system for basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma because they are so often curable and usually do not spread to other parts of the body. On rare occasions, a person’s lymph node(s) may be removed to find out if the cancer has spread, which is called metastasis. Lymph nodes are bean-shaped organs that help fight infection. The doctor may recommend other tests to determine the extent of the disease, including blood tests, chest x-rays, and imaging scans of the lymph nodes and nerves, liver, bones, and brain, but this is uncommon.

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Staging for Merkel cell cancer

Doctors use the TNM system to describe the stage of Merkel cell cancer. Doctors use the results from diagnostic tests and scans to answer these questions:

• Tumor (T): How large is the primary tumor? Where is it located?

• Node (N): Has the tumor spread to the lymph nodes? If so, where and how many?

• Metastasis (M): Has the cancer spread to other parts of the body? If so, where and how much?

The results are combined to determine the stage of Merkel cell cancer for each person.

There are 5 stages: stage 0 (zero) and stages I through IV (1 through 4). The stage provides a common way of describing the cancer, so doctors can work together to plan the best treatments.

Stage 0: This is called carcinoma in situ or a precancerous lesion. Cancer cells are found only in the top layers of the skin.

Stage I: The primary tumor is 2 centimeters (cm) or smaller at its widest part. The cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes or to other parts of the body.

Stage IIA: The tumor is larger than 2 cm and has not spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body.

Stage IIB: The tumor has grown into nearby tissues, such as muscles, cartilage, or bone. It has not spread to the lymph nodes or elsewhere in the body.

Stage III: The cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. The tumor can be any size and may have spread to nearby bone, muscle, connective tissue, or cartilage.

• Stage IIIA: The tumor is any size or may have grown into nearby tissues. Biopsy or surgery has found that the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. The cancer has not spread to other parts of the body. Or, there is no sign of a tumor, but cancer was found in a nearby lymph node during an exam or with imaging scans. Its presence was confirmed using a microscope.

• Stage IIIB: The tumor is any size or may have grown into nearby tissues. The cancer has spread through the lymphatic system, either to a regional lymph node located near where the cancer started or to a skin site on the way to a lymph node, called “in-transit metastasis.” In-transit metastasis may have reached these other lymph nodes. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system and drains fluid from body tissues through a series of tubes or vessels.

Stage IV: The tumor has spread to distant parts of the body, such as the liver, lung, bone, or brain.

Used with permission of the American College of Surgeons, Chicago, Illinois. The original and primary source for this information is the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual, Eighth Edition (2017) , published by Springer International Publishing.

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Information about the cancer’s stage will help the doctor recommend a specific treatment plan. The next section in this guide is Types of Treatment . Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.

ON THIS PAGE: You will learn more about clinical trials, which are the main way that new medical approaches are studied to see how well they work. Use the menu to see other pages.

What are clinical trials?

Doctors and scientists are always looking for better ways to care for people with non-melanoma skin cancer. To make scientific advances, doctors create research studies involving volunteers, called clinical trials. Every drug that is now approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was tested in clinical trials.

Clinical trials are used for all types and stages of non-melanoma skin cancer. Many focus on new treatments to learn if a new treatment is safe, effective, and possibly better than the existing treatments. These types of studies evaluate new drugs, different combinations of treatments, new approaches to radiation therapy or surgery, and new methods of treatment.

People who participate in clinical trials can be some of the first to get a treatment before it is available to the public. However, there are some risks with a clinical trial, including possible side effects and the chance that the new treatment may not work. People are encouraged to talk with their health care team about the pros and cons of joining a specific study.

Some clinical trials study new ways to relieve symptoms and side effects during treatment. Others study ways to manage the late effects that may happen a long time after treatment. Talk with your doctor about clinical trials for symptoms and side effects.

Deciding to join a clinical trial

People decide to participate in clinical trials for many reasons. For some, a clinical trial is the best treatment option available. Because standard treatments are not perfect, patients are often willing to face the added uncertainty of a clinical trial in the hope of a better result. Others volunteer for clinical trials because they know that these studies are a way to contribute to the progress in treating skin cancer. Even if they do not benefit directly from the clinical trial, their participation may benefit future people with skin cancer.

Insurance coverage and the costs of clinical trials differ by location and by study. In some programs, some of the expenses from participating in the clinical trial are reimbursed. In others, they are not. It is important to talk with the research team and your insurance company first to learn if and how your treatment in a clinical trial will be covered. Learn more about health insurance coverage of clinical trials .

Sometimes people have concerns that, in a clinical trial, they may receive no treatment by being given a placebo or a “sugar pill.” When used, placebos are usually combined with standard treatment in most cancer clinical trials. Study participants will always be told when a placebo is used in a study. Find out more about placebos in cancer clinical trials .

Patient safety and informed consent

To join a clinical trial, people must participate in a process known as informed consent. During informed consent, the doctor should:

• Describe all of the treatment options so that the person understands how the new treatment differs from the standard treatment.

• List risks of the new treatment, which may or may not be different from the risks of standard treatment.

• Explain what will be required of each person in order to participate in the clinical trial, including the number of doctor visits, tests, and the schedule of treatment.

• Describe the purposes of the clinical trial and what researchers are trying to learn.

Clinical trials also have certain rules called “eligibility criteria” that help structure the research and keep patients safe. You and the research team will carefully review these criteria together. You will need to meet all of the eligibility criteria in order to participate in a clinical trial. Learn more about eligibility criteria in clinical trials.

People who participate in a clinical trial may stop participating at any time for personal or medical reasons. This may include that the new treatment is not working or there are serious side effects. It is important that people participating in a clinical trial talk with their doctor and researchers about who will be providing their treatment and care during the clinical trial, after the clinical trials ends, and/or if they choose to leave the clinical trial before it ends.

Finding a clinical trial

Research through clinical trials is ongoing for all types of cancer. For specific topics being studied for non-melanoma skin cancer, learn more in the Latest Research section.

Cancer.Net offers more information about cancer clinical trials in other areas of the website, including a complete section on clinical trials and places to search for clinical trials for a specific type of cancer .

In addition, you can find a free video-based educational program about cancer clinical trials in another section of this website.

The next section in this guide is Latest Research . It explains areas of scientific research for non-melanoma skin cancer. Use the menu to choose another section to continue reading this guide.

ON THIS PAGE: You will learn more about coping with the physical, emotional, social, and financial effects of cancer and its treatment. Use the menu to see other pages.

Every cancer treatment can cause side effects or changes to your body and how you feel. For many reasons, people do not experience the same side effects even when they are given the same treatment for the same type of cancer. This can make it hard to predict how you will feel during treatment.

As you prepare to start cancer treatment, it is normal to fear treatment-related side effects . It may help to know that your health care team will work to prevent and relieve side effects. This part of cancer treatment is called palliative care or supportive care. It is an important part of your treatment plan, regardless of your age or the stage of disease.

Coping with physical side effects

Common physical side effects from each treatment option for non-melanoma skin cancer are described in the Types of Treatment section. Because skin cancers often occur in areas of the skin that are exposed, the scars that result from treatment can affect a person’s appearance and self-esteem. Learn more about side effects of cancer and its treatment, along with ways to prevent or control them . Changes to your physical health depend on several factors, including the cancer’s extent, the length and dose of treatment, and your general health.

Talk with your health care team regularly about how you are feeling. It is important to let them know about any new side effects or changes in existing side effects. If they know how you are feeling, they can find ways to relieve or manage your side effects to help you feel more comfortable and potentially keep any side effects from worsening.

You may find it helpful to keep track of your side effects so it is easier to talk about any changes with your health care team. Learn more about why tracking side effects is helpful .

Sometimes, side effects can last after treatment ends. Doctors call these long-term side effects. Side effects that occur months or years after treatment are called late effects . Treating long-term side effects and late effects is an important part of survivorship care. Learn more by reading the Follow-up Care section of this guide or talking with your doctor.

Coping with emotional and social effects

You can have emotional and social effects after a cancer diagnosis. This may include dealing with a variety of emotions, such as sadness, anxiety, or anger, or managing your stress level. Sometimes, people find it difficult to express how they feel to their loved ones. Some have found that talking to an oncology social worker, counselor, or member of the clergy can help them develop more effective ways of coping and talking about cancer.

You can also find coping strategies for emotional and social effects in a separate section of this website. This section includes many resources for finding support and information to meet your needs.

Coping with the costs of cancer care

Cancer treatment can be expensive. It may be a source of stress and anxiety for people with cancer and their families. In addition to treatment costs, many people find they have extra, unplanned expenses related to their care. For some people, the high cost of medical care stops them from following or completing their cancer treatment plan. This can put their health at risk and may lead to higher costs in the future. Patients and their families are encouraged to talk about financial concerns with a member of their health care team. Learn more about managing financial considerations in a separate part of this website.

Coping with barriers to care

Some groups of people experience different rates of new cancer cases and experience different outcomes from their cancer diagnosis. These differences are called “cancer disparities.” Disparities are caused in part by real-world barriers to quality medical care and social determinants of health , such as where a person lives and whether they have access to food and health care. Cancer disparities more often negatively affect racial and ethnic minorities , people with fewer financial resources , sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ+) , adolescent and young adult populations , older adults , and people who live in rural areas or other underserved communities .

If you are having difficulty getting the care you need, talk with a member of your health care team or explore other resources that help support medically underserved people .

Talking with your health care team about side effects

Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor about possible side effects. Ask:

• Which side effects are most likely?

• When are they likely to happen?

• What can we do to prevent or relieve them?

• When and who should we call about side effects?

Be sure to tell your health care team about any side effects that happen during treatment and afterward, too. Tell them even if you do not think the side effects are serious. This discussion should include physical, emotional, social, and financial effects of cancer.

Caring for a loved one with cancer

Family members and friends often play an important role in taking care of a person with non-melanoma skin cancer. This is called being a caregiver. Caregivers can provide physical, practical, and emotional support to the patient, even if they live far away. Being a caregiver can also be stressful and emotionally challenging. One of the most important tasks for caregivers is caring for themselves .

Caregivers may have a range of responsibilities on a daily or as-needed basis, including:

• Providing support and encouragement

• Talking with the health care team

• Giving medications

• Helping manage symptoms and side effects

• Coordinating medical appointments

• Providing a ride to and from appointments

• Assisting with meals

• Helping with household chores

• Handling insurance and billing issues

A caregiving plan can help caregivers stay organized and help identify opportunities to delegate tasks to others. It may be helpful to ask the health care team how much care will be needed at home and with daily tasks during and after treatment. Use this 1-page fact sheet to help make a caregiving action plan. This free fact sheet is available as a PDF, so it is easy to print.

Learn more about caregiving or read the ASCO Answers Guide to Caring for a Loved One With Cancer in English or Spanish .

Looking for More on How to Track Side Effects?

Cancer.Net offers several resources to help you keep track of your symptoms and side effects. Please note that these links will take you to other sections of Cancer.Net:

• Cancer.Net Mobile: The free Cancer.Net mobile app allows you to securely record the time and severity of symptoms and side effects.

• ASCO Answers Managing Pain: Get this 32-page booklet about the importance of pain relief that includes a pain tracking sheet to help patients record how pain affects them. The free booklet is available as a PDF, so it is easy to print.

• ASCO Answers Fact Sheets: Read 1-page fact sheets on anxiety and depression , constipation , diarrhea , rash , and immunotherapy side effects that provide a tracking sheet to record details about the side effect. These free fact sheets are available as a PDF, so they are easy to print, fill out, and give to your health care team.

The next section in this guide is Follow-up Care . It explains the importance of checkups after cancer treatment is finished. Use the menu to choose a different section to read in this guide.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find some questions to ask your doctor or other members of the health care team to help you better understand your diagnosis, treatment plan, and overall care. Use the menu to see other pages.

Talking often with the health care team is important to make informed decisions about your health care. These suggested questions are a starting point to help you learn more about your cancer care and treatment. You are also encouraged to ask additional questions that are important to you. You may want to print this list and bring it to your next appointment, or download Cancer.Net’s free mobile app for a digital list and other interactive tools to manage your care. It may also be helpful to ask a family member or friend to come with you to appointments to help take notes.

Questions to ask before a biopsy

• What should I expect during and after a skin biopsy?

• Will the biopsy remove all of the lesion?

• Will there be a scar? If so, what will it look like?

• Are there any other risks to performing this biopsy?

• Are there other lesions that should be biopsied?

• Which laboratory will examine this biopsy sample? Is there a pathologist who specializes in skin cancer working there?

Questions to ask after getting a diagnosis

• What type of skin cancer do I have?

• Can you explain my pathology report (laboratory test results) to me?

• Are more tests needed to find out if the cancer has spread?

Questions to ask about choosing a treatment and managing side effects

• What are my treatment options?

• What clinical trials are available for me? Where are they located, and how do I find out more about them?

• What treatment plan do you recommend? Why?

• What is the goal of each treatment? Is it to eliminate the cancer, help me feel better, or both?

• Are there other ways to treat the cancer, in addition to the recommended treatment?

• What are the possible side effects of each treatment, both in the short term and the long term?

• Could this treatment cause changes to my appearance?

• Who will be part of my health care team, and what does each member do?

• Who will be leading my overall treatment?

• How will this treatment affect my daily life? Will I be able to work, exercise, and perform my usual activities?

• If I’m worried about managing the costs of cancer care, who can help me?

• What support services are available to me and my family?

• If I have questions or problems, who should I call?

Questions to ask about having surgery

• What type of surgery will I have?

• How long will it take to remove the lesion?

• How will the surgical area resulting from the removal of the lesion be closed, repaired, or reconstructed?

• Can you describe what my recovery from surgery will be like? Are there limitations to activities? If so, for how long?

• Will there be ongoing pain after the cancer is removed? If so, what types of pain management programs, such as medications or relaxation techniques, are available?

• What will the scar look like after surgery? How long will it take to heal?

• Who should I contact about any side effects I experience? And how soon?

• Are there any other possible long-term effects of having this surgery?

Questions to ask about having radiation therapy

• What type of radiation therapy is recommended?

• What is the goal of this treatment?

• How long will it take to give this treatment?

• What side effects can I expect during treatment?

• Who should I contact about any side effects I experience? And how soon?

• What are the possible long-term or late effects of having this treatment?

• What can be done to prevent or relieve the side effects?

Questions to ask about having therapies using medications

• What type of medication is recommended?

• What is the goal of this treatment?

• How long will it take to give this treatment?

• Will I receive this treatment at a hospital or clinic? Or will I take it at home?

• What side effects can I expect during treatment?

• Who should I contact about any side effects I experience? And how soon?

• What are the possible long-term or late effects of having this treatment?

• What can be done to prevent or relieve the side effects?

Questions to ask about planning follow-up care

• What is the chance that the cancer will come back? Should I watch for specific signs or symptoms?

• What long-term side effects or late effects are possible based on the cancer treatment I received?

• How often should I have checkups to watch for other skin cancers?

• What other follow-up tests will I need, and how often will those tests be needed?

• How do I get a treatment summary and survivorship care plan to keep in my personal records?

• Who will be leading my follow-up care?

• What steps should I take to prevent future skin cancers?

• What support services are available to me? To my family?

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