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Where skin cancer develops

Illustration showing where skin cancer develops

Skin cancer begins in the cells that make up the outer layer (epidermis) of your skin. A type of skin cancer called basal cell carcinoma can occur in the basal cells, which are located at the base of the epidermis and make skin cells that continuously push older cells toward the surface. As new cells move upward, they become more-flattened squamous cells, where a skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma can occur. Melanoma, another type of skin cancer, arises in the pigment cells (melanocytes), which are also located in the base of the epidermis among the basal cells.
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