What Happens When Basal Cell Carcinoma Goes 2 Years Untreated?

Understanding Basal Cell Carcinoma Progression When Left Untreated

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of skin cancer. Over 4 million cases are diagnosed in the United States each year. BCCs develop in the basal cells, which are the deepest layer of the epidermis (outer skin layer).

BCC often shows up as open sores or reddish patches on sun-exposed areas like the face, neck and arms. Fortunately, BCC rarely spreads to other parts of the body when diagnosed and removed early.

What Happens When Basal Cell Carcinoma Goes Untreated?

The initial changes of a developing BCC are microscopic. Over months to years, the lesions grow progressively larger, destroying healthy skin cells. Though BCC spreads slowly, leaving the cancer untreated for longer periods allows more extensive skin damage and larger lesions.

How BCCs Grow and Advance

As BCC cells multiply, they release enzymes that damage surrounding skin. This erosion creates an open wound that keeps expanding outward and downward as the cancer cells continue invading healthy tissue.

Initially, the immune system attempts to repair the eroded skin. But the high turnover rate of malignant BCC cells overwhelms this regeneration response. With time, lesions grow wider and burrow deeper into layers beneath the skin.

What to Expect with BCC After 2 Years Untreated

When basal cell carcinomas are left alone for 2 years or more, the continuing destruction of healthy skin cells, blood vessels and other tissues leads to some common and concerning changes:

Expanded Lesion Size

The longer BCC goes untreated, the larger the lesion tends to grow. Over 2 years, an untreated lesion can extend well beyond 1-2 centimeters in diameter across the skin surface. Invasion deeper underneath the upper skin layers also progresses.

Increased Nerve Damage

As the advancing BCC erodes down past the epidermis into the dermis, sensory nerves become implicated. Nerve damage causes numbness in skin areas around or within the lesion site.

Nerves control sensation and function for facial muscles and various body areas. Impacting these through BCC growth can lead to loss of touch perception, motor difficulties like weakened facial movements, pain or uncontrollable twitching.

Scarring and Disfigurement

Untreated BCCs destroy skin architecture leading to significant scarring. After several years, the normal contours of the face or body part affected become increasingly warped from sizable lesions and tissue loss.

Ongoing erosion into cartilage of the ears or nose can cause complete or partial loss of these features. Similarly, neglected growths on the lips may penetrate completely through if not addressed promptly.

Risks of Advanced Basal Cell Carcinomas

Though this skin cancer advances slowly compared to other types like melanoma, the risks of leaving BCC untreated long-term include:

Metastasis

When basal cell carcinomas extend deeply into facial bones or around nerve areas, the chance of cancer cells spreading (metastasizing) to distant sites like the brain, spine or lungs goes up.

Metastatic BCC remains rare, occurring only in an estimated 0.1% of cases. But neglected tumors present for 10 years or longer carry higher odds of metastasizing and worse prognosis.

Recurrence After Treatment

With early diagnosis and prompt removal, BCC cure rates exceed 95%. However, untreated lesions penetrating down to bone have only a 60% non-recurrence rate even after extensive treatment like surgery and radiation.

Major Functional Impairment

If neglected basocellular lesions erode into sinus cavities, tear ducts or other critical head/neck structures, loss of normal sensation or function may become permanent. Impacting cranial nerves through tumor invasion also causes substantial morbidity.

Emotional Distress

Facial disfigurement, reduced quality of life going out in public, inability to move face muscles for expression, and chronic pain require substantial emotional adjustment and support.

Seeking Early BCC Evaluation

Catching BCC skin lesions when they first arise or at least within several months leads to simpler, more effective treatment options with excellent cure rates and cosmetic results.

See your dermatologist promptly if you notice any unusual skin changes, sores, bumps or reddish patches that dont go away, particularly on the head, neck and upper body.

Look for BCC warning signs like:

• Pearly, waxy bump on face/ears/neck
• Flat, scaly, crusty reddish patch
• Open sore that bleeds, oozes or crusts over
• Raised reddish growth with raised borders
• Scar-like indentation on skin

Catching concerning skin changes early not only improves prognosis but also reduces treatment intensity needed for the best outcome. Dont wait to bring worrisome spots or growths to your doctors attention.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.