What does low grade skin cancer mean?

What does low grade skin cancer mean?

Low grade means that the cancer cells are well differentiated. They look almost like normal cells. Lower grade cancer cells tend to be slow growing and are less likely to spread. High grade means that the cancer cells are poorly differentiated or undifferentiated. They look less normal, or more abnormal.

How is mild skin cancer treated?

Surgery is the main treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer, although it may depend on your individual circumstances. Non-surgical treatments, such as freezing (cryotherapy), anti-cancer creams, photodynamic therapy (PDT), radiotherapy and electrochemotherapy, are also used in certain circumstances.

What is the easiest skin cancer to cure?

The most common skin cancers, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, are nonmelanomas and rarely life threatening. They grow slowly, seldom spread beyond the skin, are easily found, and usually are cured. Basal cell carcinoma, which accounts for nearly 3 out of 4 skin cancers, is the slowest growing.

What is the lowest level of skin cancer?

The earliest stage of skin cancer is stage 0 (also called carcinoma in situ, or CIS). The other stages range from I (1) through IV (4). As a rule, the lower the number, the less the cancer has spread. A higher number, such as stage IV, means cancer has spread more.

How likely is a skin cancer patient to recover?

The estimated five-year survival rate for patients whose melanoma is detected early is about 99 percent. The survival rate falls to 66 percent when the disease reaches the lymph nodes and 27 percent when the disease metastasizes to distant organs.

How fast does squamous cell skin cancer grow?

Melanoma skin cancer has a rapid growth rate, which is what makes it so dangerous; it can turn life-threatening in just six weeks and poses a high risk of spreading to other parts of the body if left untreated. The early form of squamous cell carcinoma is known as Bowen’s disease.

Can low grade cancer spread?

Low-grade cancer cells look more like normal cells and tend to grow and spread more slowly than high-grade cancer cells.