Are skin cancers life-threatening? 

The two most common types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are rarely life threatening. Compared with BCC, SCC has an increased risk to spread to other parts of the body. Fortunately, distant spread is uncommon when the cancer is treated early. Both types of tumors will continue to grow locally and destroy normal tissue. The third most common type of skin cancer, melanoma, can be life threatening if treated late. BCC and SCC lesions do not become melanomas.