Stage 4 Liver Cancer: What to Expect
What To Know About Sebaceous Carcinoma
Sebaceous carcinoma is a rare and aggressive skin cancer. It typically begins on a person's eyelid. If doctors find it early, they can often treat it successfully with surgery.
Sebaceous glands are microscopic glands in the skin that secrete sebum, a waxy substance that lubricates the skin and hair. Sebaceous carcinoma can develop in any sebaceous gland. People sometimes refer to the condition as sebaceous gland carcinoma.
Meibomian glands are sebaceous glands in the skin of the eyelid. Most sebaceous carcinomas start on the eyelid.
Read on to learn more about the symptoms of sebaceous carcinomas. This article also examines causes, diagnosis, treatment options, and more.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) advises that sebaceous carcinomas often develop on a person's eyelid.
Symptoms on the eyelidsSebaceous carcinomas on the eyelid can cause the following symptoms:
As the cancer develops, it may resemble pink eye.
A person may notice growths on the upper and lower eyelids that can secrete fluid. Often, the eyelashes fall out. As the cancer spreads, it may affect the person's sight.
Symptoms in other areasSebaceous carcinoma much less commonly develops in other areas of the body.
If it does, it may look like a pink or yellowish lump that grows slowly and may bleed. Sebaceous carcinoma can develop in the following areas:
It is best for people to contact a doctor if they notice any new spots or moles or if an existing spot or mole changes, grows, or bleeds.
Learn about cancerous moles.
View the slideshow below for photos of sebaceous carcinoma.
Because sebaceous carcinoma is rare, the exact cause is still unclear.
According to estimates, there were only 800 cases annually in the United States in the years 2000–2016.
Risk factorsPossible risk factors include:
Sebaceous carcinoma may occur due to a viral infection. However, more research is necessary to confirm this.
Because sebaceous carcinoma usually develops on the head and neck, experts also believe sun exposure and damage to the skin in these areas may play a role in its development.
Doctors will consider sebaceous carcinoma when treating the following conditions:
Doctors may need to do a biopsy of the affected skin area and a comprehensive physical exam of the eye.
If they suspect sebaceous carcinoma on the head or neck, they may use imaging techniques or a fine-needle aspiration biopsy of suspicious lymph nodes to help diagnose the condition.
A person's doctor can advise on what tests they order and answer any questions the individual may have.
Doctors may treat sebaceous carcinoma with surgery or other methods.
SurgeryMohs surgery is a specialized technique for areas with little skin, such as the eyelids.
It allows doctors to remove the entire tumor but less tissue by taking small amounts and looking at it under a microscope. The process continues until the surgeon no longer sees cancer cells at the tissue's edge, and the margins look clear.
One study found that 16 out of 18 people who had Mohs surgery for sebaceous carcinoma were cancer-free after an average follow-up of 37 months.
Other methodsOther treatments for sebaceous carcinoma can include cryotherapy, which involves removing areas of skin by freezing it.
Radiation therapy is not a first-line treatment for sebaceous carcinoma, but may be a suitable option if:
As the exact cause of sebaceous carcinoma is unclear, it may not be possible to completely prevent the condition.
However, the AAD advises that people who have received treatment for sebaceous carcinoma do the following:
Sebaceous carcinoma is an aggressive cancer that can return after treatment. It has an 11–30% recurrence rate after surgical removal.
However, a person's outlook is generally good when doctors find and treat the cancer early.
A 2023 article notes older research that found the 5-year survival rates were 75.2% for sebaceous carcinoma affecting the eye and 68% when it involves other areas of the body.
An article from 2020 notes other research that estimates the 5-year overall survival rate as 78% for localized disease and 50% for metastatic cancer. "Metastatic" describes cancer that has spread.
Sebaceous carcinoma is a rare and aggressive cancer that commonly occurs on the eyelid. Symptoms may include a painless lump that bleeds, does not heal, or reoccurs. People may also develop sebaceous carcinoma on the head, neck, or other areas of the body.
Doctors may diagnose sebaceous carcinoma using a biopsy and treat it by surgically removing the tumor.
As the cancer can come back, people must attend follow-up appointments and examine their skin for any signs that sebaceous carcinoma may be developing again. A person's outlook is generally good if doctors find and treat sebaceous carcinoma early.
Number Stages Of Nasopharyngeal Cancer
There are 4 number stages of nasopharyngeal cancer. They are based on the TNM staging system. What is staging? The stage of a cancer tells you how big it is and how far it has spread. It helps your doctor work out the best treatment for you. Your doctor works out your stage from the tests and scans you have had. TNM stages The number stages for nasopharyngeal cancer are based on the TNM stages. The letters stand for tumour, node and metastasis: Number stages of nasopharyngeal cancer There are 4 main stages of nasopharyngeal cancer, stages 1 to 4. Stage 1 The cancer is in the nasopharynx and may have started to grow into the nasal cavity or oropharynx (the area at the back of the mouth and top of the throat). The cancer has not spread to nearby tissues, lymph nodes or other parts of the body. This is the same as T1, N0, M0 in the TNM staging system.
Stage 2 Stage 2 nasopharyngeal cancer means one of the following: No cancer is seen in the nasopharynx, or the cancer is within the nasopharynx and may have grown into the nasal cavity or oropharynx. There is cancer in the lymph nodes on one side of the neck, or behind the throat on one or both sides of the neck. The lymph nodes are not more than 6cm across. This is the same as T0 or T1, N1, M0 in the TNM staging system. The cancer has spread into the areas next to the nasopharynx (parapharyngeal space) and might have spread into the lymph nodes on one side of the neck or behind the throat on one or both sides. This is the same as T2, N0 or N1, M0 in the TNM staging system. Stage 3 Stage 3 nasopharyngeal cancer means one of the following: The cancer has spread to nearby bones and air cavities (sinuses). It might also have spread to lymph nodes on one or both sides of the neck, or behind the throat, but not anywhere else. The affected lymph nodes are not more than 6 cm across. This is the same as T3, N0 or N1 or N2, M0 in the TNM staging system. No cancer is seen in the nasopharynx, or the cancer is within the nasopharynx and may have grown into the oropharynx, nasal cavity or surrounding tissue (parapharyngeal space). The cancer has spread into the lymph nodes on both sides of the neck, but none of them are larger than 6cm. This is the same as T0, T1 or T2, N2, M0 in the TNM staging system. Stage 4 Stage 4 means the cancer is advanced. It has 2 groups, 4A and 4B. Stage 4A means one of the following: the cancer has grown into the skull, cranial (skull) nerves, eye or nearby tissues, main salivary gland, or the lower part of the throat. There might be cancer cells in the lymph nodes on one or both sides of the neck or behind the throat. These nodes are smaller than 6cm. The cancer has not spread anywhere else. This is the same as T4, N0, N1 or N2, M0 in the TNM staging system. The cancer might have grown into nearby tissues or bones. It has spread to at least one lymph node that is bigger than 6cm across, or is in the lower neck above the collar bone. The cancer has not spread anywhere else. This is the same as Any T, N3, M0 in the TNM staging system. Stage 4B means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs. This is the same as Any T, Any N, M1 in the TNM staging system. 
Recurrent nasopharyngeal cancer You might hear the term recurrent nasopharyngeal cancer. This means nasopharyngeal cancer that has come back (recurred) after treatment. The cancer might have come back in the nasopharynx (called local recurrence) or in another part of the body. Treatment decisions The stage of your cancer helps your doctor to decide which treatment you need. Your treatment also depends on: the type of cancer (the type of cells the cancer started in) where the cancer is other health conditions that you have A team of doctors and other professionals discuss the best treatment and care for you. They are called a multidisciplinary team (MDT). Four Stages Of Cancer And What Each One Means - From 'non-invasive' To Terminal
The dreaded C word is no longer the death sentence it used to be - especially if the disease is caught early. Doctors use a stage system from 0-4 to identify the size of the tumours and whether the cancer has spread
There are more than 200 different types of cancer (Stock photo) (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
In the UK, one in two people will develop some kind of cancer during their lifetime.
But the dreaded C word is no longer the death sentence it used to be, especially if detected early. In fact, cancer survival in the UK has doubled in the last 50 years - and easier to treat variants such as testicular cancer have a 98 per cent survival rate.
Surgery is usually the first treatment people try as solid tumours can be surgically removed. Other methods include chemotherapy and radiotherapy. But, what exactly are the four stages of cancer and what does each one mean?
The NHS says cancer can be categorised using different methods. The TNM staging system uses a variety of letters and numbers to describe the state of the condition, including how big tumours are and whether the cancer has spread. Doctors will also use a staging system from 0-4.
Stage 0: The cancer is where it started and has not spread.
Stage 1: The cancer is small and hasn't spread anywhere else
Stage 2: The cancer has grown but has not spread
Stage 3: The cancer is larger and may have spread to surrounding tissue. May have also spread to the lymph nodes or 'glands'
Stage 4: The cancer will have spread from where it started in the body to at least one other organ. This is also referred to as 'secondary' or 'metastatic' cancer.
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Stage zero, otherwise known as Carcinoma in situ, means that there is a group of 'abnormal cells in area of the body' - but that these are too small to form a tumour. According to Cancer Research, some experts refer to this these cell changes as 'non-invasive cancer' or 'precancerous changes'. This doesn't mean that treatment itself won't be invasive - as surgery and radiotherapy are still commonly used at this stage.
When a person's cancer is not curable and will result in death, doctors use the term 'terminal'. However, this is not linked to a specific stage. Even those diagnosed with stage four cancers are not always terminal - and may just require more aggressive forms of treatment.
Survival ratesIt makes sense that the earlier the stage of cancer - the better the survival rates - but this does vary depending on which variant of the disease we're talking about. According to the Office for National Statistics : "Apart from lung and ovarian cancer, there is a pattern of similar one year survival for patients diagnosed at stages 1 - 3 and a large decrease for those diagnosed at stage 4".
The stage four survival rate varies from 15 per cent (men with lung cancer) to 83 per cent (men with prostate cancer) - showing again that stage four cancer does not mean 'terminal' . The low figure for lung cancer could be attributed to the fact that many cancers are diagnosed much later on in comparison to others.
Colorectal cancer's one year survival is similar for men and women at all stages. Whereas ovarian cancer's one year survival rates steadily decreases with increasing stage, meaning an early diagnosis is essential.
There are many early warning signs of cancer, including finding a lump that suddenly appears on your body, unexplained bleeding, and changes to your bowel habits. It's important to see a GP if you're worried about your symptoms.
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