What Does Stage 1 Skin Cancer Look Like?

Symptoms of stage 1 skin cancers can look like changes in skin lesions or moles, or the development of new moles that are characterized by asymmetry, irregular edges, having multiple colors, and size greater than ¼ inch.

Skin cancer, a common cause of visible abnormalities of the skin, occurs when skin cells experience abnormal and out-of-control growth.

There are different types of skin cancer: 

• Basal cell carcinoma 
  • The most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases 
  • Originates in basal cells in the lower layer of skin that are responsible for producing new skin as the old skin layers die off
• Squamous cell carcinoma
  • Another common type of skin cancer 
  • Occurs when cells in the top layer of skin (the epidermis) grow out of control
• Melanoma 
  • A serious type of skin cancer that develops when melanocytes, the cells that give the skin its color (pigmentation) grow out of control
  • Untreated melanoma can spread (metastasize) to internal organs and can be life-threatening
  • It is less common than basal or squamous cell skin cancers but can be more deadly

26 Symptoms of Stage 1 Skin Cancer

Stage 1 skin cancers are those that are localized, meaning, they have not spread beyond the area from which they originated. In stage 1, there is no evidence of spread to the lymph tissues, lymph nodes, or organs in the body.

Symptoms of stage 1 skin cancers can look like changes in skin lesions or moles, or the development of new moles that can be remembered by the ABCDE’s: 

• Asymmetry — Irregularly shaped, each half looks different
• Border — Jagged, uneven, irregular edges
• Color — Mole is several different colors
• Diameter — Size greater than ¼ inch (about the side of an eraser on the end of a pencil)
• Evolution — Changes in size, shape, or color

Another way to potentially recognize a stage 1 skin cancer is called the “Ugly Duckling Sign,” which is based on the concept that most normal moles on the body resemble one another, while skin cancers such as melanomas look different and stand out like “ugly ducklings” in comparison. 

Other symptoms of skin cancer may include:

• Rough or scaly red patches, which might crust or bleed
• Flat, scaly patches
• Raised growths or lumps, sometimes with a depressed area in the center
• Translucent appearing bumps
• Pearly white bumps
• Open sores (that may ooze or crust over) that don’t completely heal, or that heal and return
• Wart-like growths
• Waxy skin growths with raised border and depression in the center
• A flat area that is only slightly different from normal skin
• Redness
• Crusting
• Itching
• Bleeding 
• Swelling
• Burning
• “Spider veins” (telangiectasia) visible on the surface 
• Black-blue or brown areas