Skin cancers are common on exposed areas of the face. Apart from skin cancer any other cancer can appear on superficial or deep structures of the face.

Common skin cancers of the face are basal cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma, Melanoma. They commonly involve cheek, nose, eyelids, lips and ears. They commonly present as nodules or ulcers or on a mole.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) also known as rodent ulcer is slow growing cancer that appears as an ulcer, nodule on any part of the face as a small lesion increases in size slowly. Patients usually present with lesions present for many years but come to seek treatment when it increases in size or starts to bleed.  There is no danger to life by this cancer but it only spreads in the local area causing local tissue damage and disfigurement.

Squamous cell carcinoma can present like BCC but it is rapidly growing as compared to the former and can involve other parts of the body like lymph node, lung or liver.

Melanoma can evolve from previously present moles. If any mole on the face starts to increase in size, causing itching, pain, bleeding or become irregular in shape, one should consult a doctor immediately. These skin cancers can be life threatening and can involve lymph nodes, lungs, brain or liver.

Diagnosis and treatment is by history, clinical examination, CT scan or MRI and confirmed by incisional biopsy (when lesion is large small piece of tissue is taken under local anesthesia and sent for histopathological confirmation) or by wide local excision (when whole lesion is removed with small area of normal tissue around the lesion under local anesthesia or general anesthesia depending on its size, location and general status of patient). If lesion is less than 2cm can be closed primarily. Larger lesions require skin graft or local flaps.

FAQ

1. What are symptoms of cancers on the face?

It can present as a lump or ulcer which may or may not bleed or it can arise from mole which is already preset on your face

2. Can one die from skin cancer on the face?

Majority of skin cancers on face are not life threatening except melanoma

3. How many days of hospitalization is required?

Majority of small lesions are removed under local anesthesia as day care. Larger lesions may require hospitalization for 2 to 3 days when surgery under general anesthesia

4. How can cancer on the face be removed?

Skin cancers are removed with cuffs of normal tissue around them. Other deeper cancers are removed according to structure involved.

 

Written by :  Dr. Fahmina

Copyrights: Pakistan association of Plastic Surgeons