Other Less Common Types of Skin Cancer
Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma comprise over 92% of all skin cancers diagnosed with the remaining percentage composed of a myriad of less common skin cancers. These less common types include:
Merkel cell carcinoma
Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP)
Kaposi’s sarcoma
Microcystic adnexal carcinoma (MAC)
Sebaceous carcinoma
Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma
Extramammary Paget’s disease (EMPD)
Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma
Angiosarcoma
Leiomyosarcoma
Porocarcinoma
others
These cancers generally occur in the deeper layer of the skin known as the dermis and arise from cells and structures located there. They can be very aggressive, with varying rates of growth, and invasion of underlying structures, and can even spread to other organs. They all share the general features of the early skin cancers outlined above. They are often firm, smooth tender nodules or plaques that have color varying from pink/purple to yellow/flesh-colored. Early detection matters to limit the amount of local spread and even death. For more information on the less common types of skin cancer, please visit:
https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/rare-skin-cancers/#mac