People who get non-melanoma skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma may have a significantly higher risk of getting other forms of cancer later on, a study suggests. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute and the Medical University of South Carolina have analyzed data from 19,174 people listed in a Maryland county (Washington County) cancer registry, and found that those diagnosed with nonmelanoma skin cancer have a greater risk of developing melanoma.

Data, which covers people with and without nonmelanoma skin cancer for more than 16 years from 1989 to 2005, shows that people who got basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma were twice as likely to develop other cancers in other parts of their bodies. This association was especially strong in young people.

The results, published in the Aug. 26 online version of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, need further verification because the data was limited to just one county of the United States. However, the findings demand that this issue is further investigated as soon as possible to enable the development of specific strategies for patients with non-melanoma skin cancers.

Basal cell carcinoma looks like a raised, smooth, pearly bump on the areas of skin exposed to the sun, whereas squamous cell carcinoma usually looks like a red, scaling, thickened patch, also most likely on sun-exposed skin. They are both far less dangerous than the often deadly malignant melanoma, which brings down up to 20 percent of people who develop it.