Articles

People ask this question in two very different moods.

Sometimes, it’s curiosity. “My mum had a melanoma. Is that a thing?”

Other times, it’s fear. “My dad had skin cancer. I have freckles. Am I basically waiting my turn?”

A diagnosis of skin cancer naturally brings questions about treatment, recovery, and prognosis.

Most skin cancers develop over time rather than appearing suddenly.

That is part of what makes prevention important. The damage that leads to skin cancer often builds gradually through repeated ultraviolet exposure, sometimes over decades, before any visible signs appear on the skin.

If you have been told you have a basal cell carcinoma (BCC) or a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), or you are waiting for results, you’re probably wondering what the difference is. They’re both called “skin cancer”, so it can sound as if they behave the same way. In reality, they start in different skin cells, and that changes how they tend to grow and how we treat them.

A white spot on the skin is easy to dismiss, especially if it is painless, small, or does not seem to change much at first.

Pleural effusion occurs when cancer causes fluid to build up around the lungs, making it harder to breathe. The good news? It can be drained quickly, and most people feel significantly better within hours. Learn which cancers cause this, how it happens, and what treatment options work fastest.

A stage 4 cancer diagnosis can feel like the ground has shifted beneath you. One of the first questions patients ask me is: "Can I go into remission?"

Sometimes, yes. Remission doesn't always mean the cancer is gone forever, but it can mean it's controlled - sometimes for years - giving you more time, better health, and a path forward.

Most people hear the phrase “skin cancer treatment” and assume there is a standard path.

Skin cancer is common, and the wording can get confusing. People talk about “types” as if there is a long list, but most cases fit into a few main groups.

Melanoma is often spoken about as the skin cancer that can spread quickly. That is true in some cases. But it is also a bit too simple.

Stereotactic radiotherapy is often described as a short course of treatment. That part is true.

Chemotherapy and immunotherapy are often spoken about together. Sometimes, even as if they are interchangeable.

They are not.