Hugh Jackman beats basal cell skin cancer

Followers of the X-Men franchise got a scare when screen sensation Hugh Jackman revealed that he had been treated for cancer.  Before fans could get (Les) Miserable, Jackman reassured all that he had undergone successful skin surgery to remove basal cell skin cancer (BCC) from his nose.  Jackman is the latest in a line of film icons to undergo treatment for facial BCC, including US President Ronald Reagan, 70’s era 007 Roger Moore and Cleopatra herself, Elizabeth Taylor. Jackman is not our patient... …but this image from September 2013 shows a pink plaque: Basal Cell Skin Cancer? Echoing the themes of Jackman’s upcoming X-Men flick, “Days of Future Past,” BCC results from chronic sun exposure from years before, likely from his upbringing in Australia.  While dark black and irregularly shaped melanoma tends to get all the press, BCC is actually much more common, yet usually less worrisome. Melanoma can potentially spread to lymph nodes and metastasize. BCC tends to gradually get larger locally but otherwise stay put.  If melanoma skin cancer is Darth Vader, consider BCC to be an Imperial Storm Trooper.  On Jackman's nose... ...
Source: Skinema, dermatology in the media blog - Category: Dermatologists Authors: Tags: Film Source Type: blogs