Glossary of Skin Cancer Terms

ABCDs of Melanoma Detection

ABCD is an acronym used to help people remember the key characteristics of melanoma detection:

A: asymmetry
B: border irregularity
C: color
D: diameter

Actinic Keratosis

A lesion that may form on skin exposed to the ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sunlight for many years. The lesion can progress to squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer that can spread.

Adjuvant Therapy

The use of additional form(s) of treatment in addition to the primary therapy. For example, having chemotherapy in addition to surgery or radiation therapy. Often used to prevent cancer recurrence

Advanced Melanoma

Metastatic melanoma that is no longer capable of being cured by surgery.

Anemia

Too few red blood cells in the bloodstream, resulting in reduced oxygen to tissues and organs

Basal Cell Carcinoma

A type of skin cancer that arises from the basal cells

Benign                 

Tumors that do not spread beyond their local area

Biopsy                 

Removal of a small amount of tissue to diagnosis the disease process

Cancer

A group of diseases where cells spread unrestrained throughout the body

Carmustine (BCNU)

A chemotherapy agent sometimes used to treat metastatic melanoma. It belongs to a class of chemotherapeutic agents called nitrosoureas

Chemotherapy

Treatment with anticancer drugs

Clark Level of Invasion:

Classification system developed by dermatopathologist, Wallace Clark, MD, that indicates how deeply a primary melanoma tumor has penetrated the skin. Five levels are used. Level I, also called “melanoma in situ” indicates that the melanoma is confined to the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. Levels II - IV indicate that the tumor has invaded the dermis, the middle layer of the skin, and each of these levels corresponds to a different depth. When a melanoma is classified as a Level V, it has invaded the subcutis, the fatty layer under the skin.

CT or CAT Scan

Special X-ray that uses computers to produce detailed pictures of a cross section of the body

Cutaneous

Related to the skin

Dermatopathologist

A medical doctor trained in both dermatology and pathology who uses this expertise to microscopically examine tissue in order to diagnose skin conditions, often providing expertise in diagnosing difficult cases.

Dermatoscopy

Also called “surface microscopy,” “dermoscopy,” and “epiluminescence microscopy,” this is a noninvasive technique used by dermatologists to examine pigmented and some non-pigmented lesions. The technique involves using a handheld microscope-like device that allows the dermatologist to see through the stratum corneum (bottom of the outermost layer of skin), permitting a detailed view of structures within the skin that are usually invisible to the unaided eye. Dermatoscopy can aid in early detection, help determine which skin lesions should be biopsied, and assist surgeons in determining how much normal-looking skin to remove.

Dermis

Thick sensitive layer of skin or connective tissue immediately beneath the skin’s epidermis (the outermost layer) that contains blood, lymph vessels, sweat glands and nerve endings

DTIC-DOME (dacarbazine)

Type of chemotherapy given as a treatment for some types of cancer, especially melanomas

Dysplastic:

An alteration in size, shape, and organization of cells. A dysplastic nevus is also called an atypical mole.

Epidermis

Thin outermost layer of skin. It is made up of several layers and covers and protects the underlying dermis layer of connective tissue

Immunotherapy

Treatment of disease by stimulating the immune system. Also called immune therapy, biological therapy, or biological response modifier therapy

In Situ

Skin cancer exists in the outermost layer of skin only and is said to be in stage 0. The term “in situ” literally means “in the original position or place.”

Keratin

Protein that is the primary component of the skin

Keratinocytes

Keratin cells; the outer layer of skin cells and the most abundant cell in the epidermis

Lesion

Any benign or malignant growth. Skin lesions include benign growths such as moles and freckles, and malignant growths, including melanomas

Lymph Nodes

Small bean shaped organs scattered throughout the body that filter bacteria or cancer cells that travel through the lymphatic system

Lymphatic Mapping

A procedure in which a tiny amount of radioactive tracer is injected into the skin to map the way lymph drains from a tumor to its corresponding lymph nodes. Also known as lymphoscintigraphy

Lymphatic System

Organs that produce and store infection-fighting cells. Includes lymph nodes, bone marrow, spleen and thymus

Malignant

Cancerous tumors that are capable of spreading

Margin

In skin cancer surgery, the amount of normal-appearing tissue removed around the tumor. The main goal is complete removal of the melanoma. Margin is usually measured in centimeters

Melanin

Dark brown or black pigment that is naturally present to varying degrees in the skin, hair, eyes, fur or feathers of people and animals, as well as in plants

Melanocytes

Type of cell in the skin that produces the pigment melanin that gives skin its natural color. Melanoma skin cancer occurs in the melanocytes

Melanoma

A type of cancer that arises in melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin. Melanoma occurs most often in the skin but may also develop in the eye or in the lining of the nose, mouth, or genitals. Melanoma is the least common but the most deadly skin cancer

Melanoma in situ

Very early stage melanoma where thetumor is limited to the epidermis with no invasion of surrounding tissues, lymph nodes, or distant sites

Metastasis

The spread of cancer from one body part to another

Mohs micrographic surgery

A highly specialized surgical technique in which all remaining visible parts of the tumor are excised and skin is removed layer by layer and examined under a microscope while the patient is undergoing surgery. Skin continues to be removed until cancer is no longer detected. Not necessary for removing all skin cancers, it may be used when the primary tumor is located on the face or another area where it is essential to preserve as much healthy tissue as possible, the tumor is large, it is difficult to determine where the cancer ends, or the skin cancer has recurred.

Mole

Small, dark, sometimes raised, growth on human skin. Also called a nevus (nevi, plural)

Nevus

What dermatologists call a “mole,” this usually pigmentedskin lesion may be present from birth, but most often appears later in life. By age 3, approximately 80% of children will have at least one mole. There are dozens of different types of moles, of many shapes, colors, and sizes. Most moles are not cancerous. Occasionally, a mole may become a cancerous growth.

Punch Biopsy

Biopsy technique that involves cutting and removing a disk of tissue

Radiation Therapy

Treatment with a series of X-rays that kill cancer cells inside the body

Re-excision

In the surgical treatment of melanoma, re-excision is a procedure performed when a skin biopsy confirms the presence of melanoma at a site that has already undergone simple excision (surgical removal of the tumor and a margin of normal-looking skin). The re-excision removes even more normal-looking skin from the affected site so that the surrounding tissue can be examined to ensure that no cancer cells remain in the skin

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

A procedure in which only the sentinel node is removed to determine whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes

Shave Biopsy

Biopsy technique performed with a surgical blade or a razor blade. This technique is often used for lesions that are elevated above the skin level or confined to the upper layers of skin, or to protrusions of lesions from more internal sites

Simple Excision

In the surgical treatment of melanoma, simple excision is a procedure in which the tumor, along with a margin of normal-looking skin, is cut out

Skin Graft

Piece of skin taken from part of the body and used to replace lost or damaged skin

Squamous cell carcinoma

Skin cancer that forms in the flat, scale-like skin cells of the epidermis called the squamous cells. It accounts for approximately 16% of all skin cancers. This cancer can metastasize and cause death.

Subcutis

The deepest layer of skin, containing fatty tissue and collagen. The subcutis conserves heat and helps protect the body's organs from injury. Also known as the subcutaneous layer

Sun Protection Factor (SPF)

Degree to which a sun cream, lotion, screen or block provides protection for the skin against the sun

Staging

Process of determining how far the cancer has progressed

Thickness

The thickness of a melanoma--how deep the tumor extends into the skin generally measured in millimeters (mm)

Tumor

Abnormal uncontrolled growth or mass of body cells, which may be malignant or benign, and has no physiological function

Tumor Grade

A labeling system telling how quickly a cancer is growing

Ultraviolet (UV)

Relating to or producing electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths from about 5 nanometers to 400 nanometers, which is beyond the violet end of the visible light spectrum. Ultraviolet radiation refers to radiation with ultraviolet wavelengths. Radiation of this kind is a component of sunlight and is the light that makes exposed skin become darker

Wide Local Excision

The standard surgical procedure for early-stage primary melanoma, in which the tumor – including the biopsy site – and a surgical margin are removed. The goal is complete removal of the tumor