Treatment Options for Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer

Basal Cell Carcinoma
Squamous Cell Carcinoma

A link to a list of current clinical trials is included for each treatment section. For some types or stages of cancer, there may not be any trials listed. Check with your doctor for clinical trials that are not listed here but may be right for you.

Treatment of basal cell carcinoma may include the following:

• Mohs micrographic surgery.
• Simple excision.
• Electrodesiccation and curettage.
• Cryosurgery.
• Radiation therapy.
• Laser surgery.
• Topical chemotherapy with fluorouracil.
• Photodynamic therapy.
• A clinical trial of biologic therapy.

Follow-up skin exams are important for people with basal cell carcinoma because they are likely to have a new or recurrent tumor within 5 years of the first one. After treatment, the patient should have skin exams every 6 months for 5 years and once a year after that.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with basal cell carcinoma of the skin. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Treatment of squamous cell carcinoma may include the following:

• Mohs micrographic surgery.
• Simple excision.
• Electrodesiccation and curettage.
• Cryosurgery.
• Radiation therapy.
• Topical chemotherapy with fluorouracil.
• Laser surgery.
• A clinical trial of biologic therapy.
• A clinical trial of biologic therapy and retinoids.

Follow-up skin exams are important for people with squamous cell carcinoma. Because squamous cell carcinoma can spread, patients should have skin exams every 3 months for several years after treatment and then every 6 months.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.