Everyone (hopefully) knows that it is important to check for breast lumps (yes, males too). It is also wise not to ignore any lumpiness in or under the skin (anywhere). This patient’s skin cancer (a basal cell carcinoma, BCC) runs along the groove between the lip and cheek in a linear fashion. There is a bit of crust on the surface. If you look closer, the skin texture in that area is different. It is shinier and slightly lumpy. However, the most important feature could not be demonstrated by the photograph. If you run your finger along the groove, you would feel a distinct lumpiness under the crusty line.
Such is the nature of a basal cell carcinoma (BCC). It may not look much on the surface but it grows “roots” into (and sometimes beyond) the deeper layers of the skin, resulting in a fairly large surgical defect upon its removal. More later…