Basal cell carcinoma sutures. Image 3 of 3. View of a sutured wound after the excision of a basal cell carcinoma (or rodent ulcer) next to a patient's lip. Basal cell carcinomas are the most common form of skin cancer among fair-skinned people, mostly affecting the elderly. They usually appear on the face and are thought to be caused by ultraviolet radiation in sunlight. Although they slowly destroy the surrounding tissue, they seldom spread to other parts of the body. Treatments include surgery, cryosurgery or radiotherapy. See images M131/324-326 for a sequence showing the stages of this operation.