Fact sheet

Skin Cancer: BCC and SCC

The two most common cancers of all, caused mainly by sun damage. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) grows slowly and almost never spreads. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) can spread if ignored. Caught early, both are usually cured.

What to look for. BCC: a pearly or shiny pink lump, a flat red scaly patch, or a sore that bleeds, heals and comes back, often on the face, neck, back or shoulders. SCC: a thick, scaly or crusted lump that grows over weeks to months and may be tender. Rough, scaly sunspots can occasionally turn into SCC. For dark spots and changing moles, see moles and melanoma.

Who gets it. In Australia, about 2 in 3 people will be diagnosed with a skin cancer in their lifetime, and over half a million a year have a BCC or SCC removed. Risk is higher with fair skin, lots of sun or sunburn, age, outdoor work, solarium use, a weakened immune system (such as after a transplant) and previous skin cancer. On brown and black skin, skin cancer is less common but often found later. SCC is the most common type in Black people and can grow in old scars, sores or the genitals; BCCs can be brown rather than pink.

Diagnosis. Your GP looks closely with a magnifier (dermatoscope). A small sample (biopsy) or removal confirms it under a microscope.

The skin cancer ladder

Prevention first. For a confirmed cancer, the right treatment depends on its type, size and spot; surgery has the highest cure rate.

  1. Step 1 · Self-careDaily sunscreen and sun protectionBroad-spectrum SPF 30+ every day on exposed skin, plus hat, shade, sunglasses and clothing when the UV index is 3 or more.
    Works
    In a Queensland trial, daily sunscreen meant fewer SCCs, and invasive melanoma about 3 in 4 lower over the following 10 years
    Cost
    About $10–20 a bottle
    How long
    Lifelong
    Watch for
    Use enough (about a teaspoon per limb) and reapply every 2 hours outdoors.

    The best skin cancer treatment is the one you never need.

  2. Step 2 · PharmacyNicotinamide (vitamin B3) for high-risk peopleNicotinamide 500 mg twice a day for people who’ve had several skin cancers. Not niacin, which is different.
    Works
    About 1 in 4 fewer new BCCs and SCCs over a year in people who’d had at least 2; the benefit stops when you stop
    Cost
    About $15–30 a month
    How long
    Ongoing while risk stays high
    Watch for
    Talk to your GP first, especially with kidney or liver disease.

    A helper for frequent flyers, not a sunscreen substitute.

  3. Step 3 · PrescriptionCreams for superficial BCC (imiquimod, fluorouracil)For thin, flat BCCs in low-risk spots. Applied at home for several weeks.
    Works
    Imiquimod: about 8 in 10 still clear at 5 years, vs about 98 in 100 after surgery
    Cost
    Under the $25 PBS co-payment when eligible
    How long
    6 weeks or so, then a check
    Watch for
    Expect redness, crusting and soreness: that means it’s working. Follow-up checks matter.

    No scalpel, but you do sign up for a few ugly weeks.

  4. Step 4 · ProcedureFreezing, or scraping and cauteryLiquid nitrogen, or scraping out (curettage) and sealing the base, for small, low-risk BCCs and very early SCCs.
    Works
    Works well for carefully chosen small, low-risk cancers; no lab check of the edges
    Cost
    GP: often bulk-billed or about $50–150 out of pocket
    How long
    One visit; heals over 2–4 weeks
    Watch for
    A pale scar or mark, especially on brown or black skin. Not for the face’s high-risk spots or deeper cancers.

    Quick and cheap, for the right spot only.

  5. Step 5 · ProcedureSurgical removal (excision)The spot is cut out under local anaesthetic, stitched, and checked under a microscope.
    Works
    The most reliable cure: about 98 in 100 BCCs gone at 5 years in a major UK trial
    Cost
    GP: bulk-billed to about $100–300 out of pocket; specialist fees higher
    How long
    One procedure; stitches out in 1–2 weeks
    Watch for
    Infection, bleeding, scarring. Keloid (raised) scars are more common on brown and black skin.

    Ten minutes on the table, a lifetime of not worrying about that one.

  6. Step 6 · SpecialistMohs surgery, radiotherapy or immunotherapyFor large, recurrent or high-risk cancers, ones on the nose, eyelids, lips or ears, or SCCs that have spread.
    Works
    Mohs checks every layer as it goes, keeping cure rates high while saving healthy skin
    Cost
    Specialist and hospital fees vary; Medicare rebates with a referral
    How long
    Varies
    Watch for
    Bring your biopsy reports. Ask who will do follow-up skin checks.

    The tricky ones get the specialist treatment. Literally.

Costs are rough Australian prices in November 2026 and vary by pharmacy and provider. PBS co-payment: $25, or $7.70 with a concession card. Results are typical figures from trials, not promises.

Save your money

Popular, heavily marketed or often asked about, but the evidence is weak or says no.

What you can do

See your GP if

See your GP soon (within days) for a fast-growing or painful lump, a lump in the neck, armpit or groin near a known skin cancer, or numbness or tingling around a skin cancer.

Common questions

Can a BCC kill you?

Very rarely. BCCs almost never spread, but left alone they can slowly destroy nearby skin, cartilage or bone, so they still need treatment.

Is an SCC more serious?

It can spread to lymph glands if ignored, so it should be treated promptly. Most are cured when removed early.

Is sunscreen safe?

Yes. In a large Australian trial, daily sunscreen users had fewer SCCs and fewer invasive melanomas than people who used it only when they felt like it.

I have dark skin. Can I get skin cancer?

Yes, though it’s less common. Check palms, soles, nails, mouth, genitals and old scars, and see a doctor about any sore that won’t heal.

Helpful resources

Evidence and more information

Reviewed 1 November 2026. General education, not personal medical advice. Treatment depends on your situation, so talk to your GP or pharmacist.

Related

maladywise.com/skin-cancer/