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Fact or Fiction: How Much Do You Really Know About Skin Cancer?

Knowing the facts about skin cancers including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma could save your life (12 Photos)

Arricca Elin SanSone on Jul 17, 2012 at 12:38PM

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Fact or Fiction: How Much Do You Really Know About Skin Cancer?

Michelle Del Guercio/Photo Researchers/Getty Images

Fact: Skin Cancer Is Usually Curable if Caught Early

When caught early, skin cancer has a 98 percent cure rate. While it can be scary if your doctor wants to do a biopsy, it’s also the only way to diagnose skin cancer. “A biopsy can save your life [by preventing the spread of cancer]," says Marcy Street, M.D., a spokesperson for the Skin Cancer Foundation and founder of Doctor’s Approach Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center in East Lansing, Michigan. But not every strange looking mole or spot means you have skin cancer. "A biopsy can also reassure you that a questionable spot is not precancerous,” says Dr. Street.

Filed Under:
- skin cancer,
- summer skin care

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