If papules appear on the skin, you should be alert to the occurrence of skin cancer

Master Li has been engaged in asphalt pavement construction. Although most of the pavement can be completed by mechanical paving, there are some places where machines cannot pave. At this time, manual paving is required. Every time Master Li and his co-workers work with asphalt mixture, although there are certain protective measures, it is inevitable that it will get on his body and hands, and the pungent smell makes Master Li very uncomfortable, but gradually he no longer notices it.

Later, when Master Li was taking a shower, he found a hard, lumpy papule on his arm. The papule was the size of a millet grain and slightly higher than the skin. However, this did not attract Master Li's attention too much. After a while, Master Li found that the papule had not only become larger, but also broke and formed an ulcer.

So Master Li went to the hospital for treatment. After examination, the doctor diagnosed Master Li's lesion as basal cell carcinoma, and then developed a surgical excision treatment plan for Master Li. The doctor told Master Li that this type of skin cancer has a very good prognosis and a low recurrence rate. Even if it recurs, he can still have surgery again, and there is very little risk of being fatal. However, regular follow-up should be performed within five years.

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer and can occur on the head, face, trunk and limbs. It is often asymptomatic at the onset. In the early stages, it is mostly papules with hard lumps on the base, and some are wart-like protrusions, which then break down into ulcers. The ulcers are irregular, with raised edges and an uneven bottom, and grow slowly. Once the above symptoms appear, treatment should be sought early.