Non melanoma skin cancer

Survival for non melanoma skin cancer

The cure rates for non melanoma skin cancers are very high. Below are general statistics based on large groups of people.

Skin cancer statistics

There are no UK statistics available for survival of people with non melanoma skin cancer. But the outlook is generally very good.

Basal cell skin cancer

Doctors can almost always cure basal cell skin cancers. It is extremely rare for basal cell cancer to spread to another area of the body. So people almost never die from this type of cancer.

In a small number of people the cancer can come back in the skin and they need further treatment.

Squamous cell skin cancer

Doctors can cure most people with squamous cell skin cancer.

A small number of people might have squamous cell cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes or to other parts of the body. This may still be cured.

What affects your outlook

Your outcome depends on:

the size of the cancer
how deep it is
where it's growing on the body
how fast it's growing
the type of skin cancer it is

If your immune system is weakened due to other medical reasons, there is a slightly higher risk of the cancer coming back.

Your doctor is the best person to talk to if you have any questions about the risk of the cancer coming back or your overall prognosis.

Find out more about treating non melanoma skin cancer

Getting more information

Your doctor can give you more information about your own outlook (prognosis).

It might help to talk about things. You can talk to the Cancer Research UK nurses on freephone 0808 800 4040, from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Last reviewed: 25 Jan 2024

Next review due: 25 Jan 2026

About skin cancer

Non melanoma skin cancer includes basal cell skin cancer, squamous cell skin cancer and other rare types.

Stages and grades

The stage of cancer tells you its size and whether it has spread. The grade tells you how much the cancer cells look like normal cells.

Types of skin cancer

The 2 main types of non melanoma skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Getting diagnosed

See your GP if you are worried about or have symptoms of skin cancer. They will examine you and arrange for a biopsy if needed.

Skin cancer main page

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.