Getting diagnosed
It can be difficult for GPs to decide who may have a suspected cancer and who may have a minor problem that will go away on its own. With some , it is right that your GP asks you to wait to see if the symptoms get better or respond to treatment.
Your GP might arrange for you to have some tests first. This will help them decide if you need to see a specialist.
Some GPs have had special training and can diagnose and treat certain types of skin cancers. So you might not need a referral to see a specialist. This also depends on your situation.
There are particular symptoms that mean your GP should refer you to a specialist straight away.
There are guidelines for GPs to help them decide who needs a referral. These vary between the different UK nations. Your GP will use these guidelines as well as their own experience and judgement.
If your GP suspects they might still refer you to a specialist. This might be a less urgent referral than other skin cancers. This means there can be a wait up to a few months. BCC is the most common type of non melanoma skin cancer. It generally takes years to develop in most people. So waiting is unlikely to do any harm.
Talk to your GP if you're worried about the wait, particularly if it has taken a while to see your doctor in the first place.
Your doctor should arrange for you to see a specialist if they think you have a:
or
BCC and waiting longer could cause problems, for example because of where it is, or its size
You should have an urgent referral if you have, or might have a SCC. You might have a sore or lump on your skin that:
is bigger than 1cm, doesn’t heal, looks crusty or scaly, and feels hard when you press on it
is on a part of your body where you commonly get SCC, such as your face, back of your hand or scalp
has grown over the past 8 weeks
is new or getting bigger, and you have had a previous
You should have an urgent referral if you have:
a mole, skin mark, or nail change that might be melanoma or SCC
a possible BCC which is close to an important body part – for example your eye, ear canal or a major nerve or
a skin mark or change that might be another type of skin cancer, such as Merkel cell carcinoma or
an unexplained or worrying skin change and your is weak
had a and you have a diagnosis of melanoma, SCC or high risk BCC
Find out more about cancer waiting times
Your GP will consider any other symptoms you have, so do mention these.
Your GP might also take into account whether you have any risk factors that affect your chances of developing non melanoma skin cancer.
Go to the risks and causes of non melanoma skin cancer
The is a team of health professionals who work together to decide on the best way to manage your care. The MDT can include many different health professionals including:
skin specialists (dermatologists)
plastic surgeons
cancer specialists
doctors who specialise in reading X-rays and scans (radiologists)
specialist nurses
GPs with a special interest in skin cancer
physiotherapists
occupational therapists
cosmetic camouflage advisers
doctors who make a diagnosis from tissue specimens (histopathologists)
pharmacist
There are two levels of multidisciplinary teams for skin cancer:
The Local Hospital Skin Cancer MDT - usually in cancer units in district general hospitals.
A Specialist Skin Cancer MDT - usually in larger hospitals that have cancer centres or plastic surgery centres.
You may only see one specialist. But the whole team discuss your test results, case notes and treatment options. All of the members of the MDT have specialist training in skin cancer. They meet regularly.
This depends on which type of skin cancer you have or might have. Your GP considers other factors too.
For BCC, it depends on whether the BCC is high risk or low risk:
High risk means that the cancer is more likely to come back after treatment. Very rarely, high risk BCC might spread to other parts of the body.
Low risk means that the BCC is less likely to come back after treatment.
Doctors decide whether a BCC is a high risk or low depending on:
where it is on the body
how big it is
how clear and even the edges (borders) are
how many times you have had treatment before
how it is growing (the growth pattern) – for example is it a lump or is it growing downwards into the skin
how deep it is in the skin
Your GP might consider other factors to decide if a BCC is low or high risk. For example, how well your immune system works. Or whether you have had previous to the area.
Some GPs are specially trained to manage low risk basal cell cancers in their practice. These GPs should be members of the local hospital skin cancer MDT. The GP can diagnose and treat low risk BCCS. You won’t need to see a specialist at the hospital.
Examples of low risk BCC include:
a type of BCC called nodular BCC
small BCCs that are in a place which makes them easy to remove
Your GP may refer you to the Local Hospital Skin Cancer MDT if:
your BCC has a higher risk of coming back or has come back - doctors call this high risk BCC
you have a SCC or melanoma
it’s not certain which type of skin cancer you have
Your GP or doctor from the Local Hospital Skin Cancer MDT will refer you to the Specialist Skin Cancer MDT if you:
have a rare skin cancer
have SCC or melanoma that is at higher risk of coming back or has come back
have any type of skin cancer that has spread to another part of your body
need treatment that the Local Hospital Skin Cancer MDT doesn't provide – for example plastic surgery or radiotherapy
are taking part in a
have a weak immune system, for example after an organ transplant
have a rare genetic syndrome called which means you are more likely to get skin cancer
Sometimes you might feel that your GP is not concerned enough about your symptoms. If you think they should be more concerned, print this page and the symptoms page. Ask your GP to talk it through with you. Together you can decide if you should see a specialist.
If your GP has referred you to a specialist, ask them when you should get your appointment. Contact them again if you don’t get one. Or some hospitals have a referral service you could try contacting if you know which hospital you are going to. Explain that you are waiting for an urgent suspected cancer referral.
Go to more information about an urgent referral, what to expect and questions to ask
Your hospital is working towards waiting time targets. For example, a target to find out whether you have cancer or not. And there are targets to start treatment if you are diagnosed with cancer. These are slightly different depending on where you live in the UK.
Last reviewed: 23 Feb 2026
Next review due: 23 Feb 2029
The main test to diagnose skin cancer is to take a sample (biopsy) of the area. There are different types of biopsy.
Symptoms of skin cancer can include: a sore that doesn't heal, an area of skin that looks unusual, red, itchy, bleeds or scabs for more than 4 weeks.
See your GP if you notice a change in your skin that isn't normal for you. Or if you have any of the possible signs and symptoms of skin cancer.
Non melanoma skin cancer includes basal cell skin cancer, squamous cell skin cancer and other rare types.
Non melanoma skin cancer includes basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and other rare types. They tend to develop most often on skin that has been exposed to the sun.
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