Treatment of Basal Cell Carcinoma

For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Treatment of basal cell carcinoma that is localized may include the following:

• Simple excision.
• Mohs micrographic surgery.
• Radiation therapy.
• Curettage and electrodesiccation.
• Cryosurgery.
• Photodynamic therapy.
• Topical chemotherapy.
• Topical immunotherapy (imiquimod).
• Laser surgery (rarely used).

Treatment of basal cell carcinoma that is metastatic or cannot be treated with local therapy may include the following:

• Targeted therapy with a signal transduction inhibitor (vismodegib or sonidegib).
• A clinical trial of a new treatment.

Treatment of recurrent basal cell carcinoma that is not metastatic may include the following:

• Simple excision.
• Mohs micrographic surgery.

Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.