CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales wore a Band-Aid on his nose Tuesday at minicamp, later revealing that he recently underwent a procedure to remove a small spot of basal cell carcinoma.
Canales said that two months ago a routine skin cancer screening performed by the team identified some areas of concern on his nose.
"It's a good reminder not to take these things for granted," Canales said. "It was a basal cell type of skin cancer in a small spot, and they were able to get it off. So I'm really appreciative."
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer and is highly curable, slow-growing, and rarely spreads to other parts of the body, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation.
Basal cells are the small cells in the outer layer of skin.
The 45-year-old Canales said his mother also dealt with skin cancer issues when she was in her 40s. As a result, he said he's always been diligent about using sunscreen while outside.
"You can imagine a Southern California kid playing outdoor sports and then getting into coaching, right?" Canales said.
