Which type of skin cancer is most likely to spread distantly to the lungs?

Melanoma is the type of skin cancer most likely to spread distantly to the lungs and other organs. This behavior is related to the aggressive nature of melanoma cells, which can invade surrounding tissues and have a higher propensity for metastasis compared to other skin cancers.

Melanoma originates from melanocytes, the cells that produce pigment in the skin. Due to the characteristics of these cancer cells, melanoma can spread through the lymphatic system and bloodstream, allowing it to reach distant organs, including the lungs, liver, and brain. The potential for distant metastasis is one of the primary reasons melanoma has a higher mortality rate compared to other skin cancers.

In contrast, basal cell carcinoma typically remains localized and rarely metastasizes, while squamous cell carcinoma can spread but generally does so in cases that are more advanced or invasive. Merkel cell carcinoma, although aggressive, has a different pattern of metastasis, more commonly involving lymph nodes and regional spread rather than predominantly distant spread to the lungs. Hence, melanoma stands out as the skin cancer type with the greatest likelihood of distant spread.