Pigmented basal cell skin cancer is a rare variant of nodular basal cell skin cancer. This type of common skin cancer often appears with dark areas within the lesion, occasionally making it appear similar to melanoma. In this overview we’ll be looking at pigmented basal cell skin cancer symptoms, treatment, and how to distinguish pigmented basal cell skin cancer vs. melanoma. 

Pigmented Basal Cell Skin Cancer Symptoms 

Basal cell skin cancer is the most common form of common skin cancer, affecting nearly 80% of skin cancer patients. Within that group, many will be diagnosed with nodular basal cell skin cancer, which is its most frequent variant. Pigmented basal cell skin cancer is a very small subset of this group, consisting of only 6% of all basal cell skin cancer cases. 

Unlike nodular basal cell skin cancer, which often appears as a pearly bump, the pigmented basal cell skin cancer symptoms are not translucent and typically appear with brown or black shaded regions within the lesion. This darker, uneven coloration can often lead to debate as to whether the affected area is pigmented basal cell skin cancer vs. melanoma, but melanoma is commonly much darker throughout the entire lesion instead of in particular spots. 

Other pigmented basal cell skin cancer symptoms may include:

• Itching 
• Burning
• Sensitivity to light 

Pigmented Basal Cell Skin Cancer Treatment

Like many common skin cancers, pigmented basal cell skin cancer is highly treatable when caught early. The location and progression of your symptoms will dictate which pigmented basal cell skin cancer treatment is right for you, but there are several available options: 

• Mohs surgery: this treatment method involves cutting the cancerous area out the skin with a scalpel. While it is very effective, this procedure often involves follow up cosmetic surgery to deal with surgical scarring, especially if the lesion was located on the face. 
• Chemotherapy: this treatment uses medication to eradicate the cancer from the inside out. Chemotherapy is very powerful and can come with challenging side effects and recovery times. 
• Radiation therapy: this treatment targets low-level radiation directly at the cancer site, breaking down and destroying the affected cells. Radiation therapy is an excellent pigmented basal cell skin cancer treatment because it gets exceptional results without surgery or major downtime. 

Learn About Image-Guided SRT as a Potential Treatment for Pigmented Basal Cell Skin Cancer

Image-Guided Superficial Radiotherapy (Image-Guided SRT) is a surgery-free treatment method for pigmented basal cell skin cancer that tackles cancer without cutting or surgical scarring. To learn more about Image-Guided SRT, connect with a skin cancer information specialist at 855-936-4411. We can answer your questions and help you find a local dermatology office offering Image-Guided SRT today.