You will read about causes and ways to prevent skin cancer. You will find information about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. You will also learn how to do a skin self-exam.

Scientists are studying skin cancer to find out more about how it develops. And they are looking for better ways to prevent and treat it.

There are many types of skin cancer. This booklet is about the two most common types, basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer. These are sometimes called nonmelanoma skin cancer. A much less common type of skin cancer, melanoma, is not discussed in this booklet. To learn about this disease, see the NCI booklet What You Need To Know About Melanoma.

NCI provides information about cancer, including the publications mentioned in this booklet. You can order these materials by telephone or on the Internet. You can also read them on the Internet and print your own copy.

• Telephone (1-800-4-CANCER): Information Specialists at NCI's Cancer Information Service can answer your questions about cancer. They also can send NCI booklets, fact sheets, and other materials.
• Internet (http://www.cancer.gov): You can use NCI's Web site to find a wide range of up-to-date information. For example, you can find many NCI booklets and fact sheets at http://www.cancer.gov/publications. People in the United States and its territories may use this Web site to order printed copies. This Web site also explains how people outside the United States can mail or fax their requests for NCI booklets.

  You can ask questions online and get help right away from Information Specialists through LiveHelp at http://www.cancer.gov/cis.