TL;DR: Skin cancer treatment depends on the type, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), or melanoma, and the stage at diagnosis. Surgical options like Mohs surgery achieve cure rates up to 99% for early-stage BCC and SCC. Advanced cases now have access to immunotherapy drugs like Keytruda, Opdivo, and the newly FDA-approved cosibelimab (December 2024). Early detection dramatically improves outcomes. This guide covers every treatment option available in 2026, including the latest FDA approvals.
Last medically reviewed: April 2026
If you or someone you love has just been diagnosed with skin cancer, the first thing to know is this: most skin cancers, when caught early, are highly treatable. The second thing to know is that treatment has changed significantly in the last few years, with new immunotherapy drugs approved by the FDA as recently as December 2024.
This guide gives you a clear, complete picture of every treatment option available, from straightforward surgical removal to the newest immune-based therapies. We cover signs your body may be sending early warning signals elsewhere on the site; this post is focused entirely on what happens after a diagnosis and what your treatment options actually are.
What Is the Most Effective Treatment for Skin Cancer?
The most effective skin cancer treatment depends on the type and stage. For basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma caught early, Mohs surgery achieves cure rates up to 99%. For early-stage melanoma, wide local excision is curative in up to 99% of cases. For advanced or metastatic skin cancers, immunotherapy, particularly checkpoint inhibitors, has transformed outcomes dramatically over the past decade.
No single treatment is “best” for everyone. Your dermatologist or oncologist will recommend an approach based on the cancer type, location on the body, how deep it has grown, whether it has spread, and your overall health. Understanding your options before that conversation puts you in a far stronger position to ask the right questions and make informed decisions.
How Is Skin Cancer Treated? An Overview by Type
Skin cancer is not one disease; it is three distinct diseases with different behaviours, different treatment priorities, and different outcomes.
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type, accounting for roughly 8 in 10 skin cancers. It grows slowly and rarely spreads, making it highly treatable. Surgery — usually excision or Mohs- is the standard first-line approach.
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common type. Most cases are easily treated when caught early. SCC is more likely than BCC to grow deeper and, in a small percentage of cases, spread to lymph nodes or other organs. Over one million people in the US are diagnosed with SCC each year, according to the American Association for Cancer Research.
Melanoma is the least common but most dangerous type. It accounts for roughly 4% of skin cancers but causes the majority of skin cancer deaths because of its tendency to spread quickly. However, treatment advances — particularly immunotherapy — have dramatically improved survival even at advanced stages. Median survival for advanced Stage IV melanoma has improved from approximately 6 months to nearly 6 years with modern immunotherapy, compared to a decade ago.
Surgical Treatment Options for Skin Cancer
Surgery is the most common first-line treatment for skin cancer. It is used for BCC, SCC, and early-stage melanoma. The goal in every case is the same: remove all cancer cells while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible.
Mohs Surgery: Success Rate, Recovery, and When It Is Used
Mohs micrographic surgery is considered the gold standard for treating BCC and SCC, particularly on cosmetically sensitive areas like the face, ears, nose, and hands. Mohs surgery achieves 5-year cure rates of 99% for primary BCC and 92–99% for primary SCC, making it the most precise treatment available for these cancers.
The procedure works differently from standard excision. Rather than removing a fixed margin of tissue and sending it to an external lab, the Mohs surgeon removes the tumour layer by layer, examining each layer under a microscope on the same day. This continues until no cancer cells remain at the margins. The result: maximum cancer removal with minimum healthy tissue loss.
On the face specifically, Mohs surgery has a cure rate of 98%, compared with 93–95% for standard excision. For recurrent BCC that has come back after previous treatment, Mohs achieves a cure rate of around 94%.
Recovery from Mohs surgery typically takes 1–3 weeks for the wound to heal. Most procedures are done under local anaesthetic as an outpatient. Complex reconstructions on the face may involve a plastic surgeon and a longer healing period of 4–6 weeks. Scarring is generally minimal because the tissue-sparing approach preserves the surrounding skin.
Mohs is typically recommended when:
- The cancer is on the face, ears, nose, eyelids, or lips
- The tumour is large, has poorly defined borders, or has recurred after previous treatment
- Tissue preservation is a cosmetic or functional priority
Simple Excision
Standard surgical excision involves cutting out the tumour with a margin of healthy tissue around it. It is highly effective for many BCCs and SCCs and is often performed in a dermatologist’s office under local anaesthetic. About 92% of SCCs can be cured with simple excision, and BCC excision achieves similar cure rates for low-risk tumours.
Wide Local Excision for Melanoma
For melanoma, the primary surgery is wide local excision, removing the tumour with a wider margin of healthy skin than standard excision. The margin size depends on the thickness of the melanoma. Thin melanomas (Stage I) require a 1cm margin; thicker tumours (Stage II–III) may require a 2cm margin. For Stage 0 (melanoma in situ), a 5mm margin is generally sufficient and is curative in nearly 100% of cases.
Curettage and Electrodesiccation
This approach involves scraping away the cancer with a curette and then using an electric current to destroy remaining cancer cells and control bleeding. It is effective for small, low-risk BCCs and SCCs on flat skin surfaces. Curettage and electrodesiccation achieve cure rates of around 96% for low-risk tumours. It is not recommended for high-risk tumours, recurrent cancers, or cancers on the face.
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
For melanomas thicker than 0.8mm, or any melanoma with certain high-risk features, a sentinel lymph node biopsy is typically recommended alongside the excision. This procedure samples the first lymph node the melanoma would drain to, checking whether cancer cells have begun to spread. A positive biopsy changes the staging and treatment plan significantly.
Non-Surgical Skin Cancer Treatment Options
Not every skin cancer requires surgery. Several effective non-surgical options exist, particularly for low-risk superficial cancers, patients who cannot undergo surgery, or cancers in locations where surgery would cause significant damage. For a dedicated resource covering these approaches in further detail, cancer-treatment.net provides additional guidance on non-surgical cancer care.
Cryotherapy (cryosurgery) involves freezing cancer cells with liquid nitrogen. It is most effective for thin, superficial BCCs and precancerous growths like actinic keratoses. A single freezing session takes only minutes, requires no anaesthetic, and leaves a blister that heals within a few weeks. Cure rates for low-risk superficial BCC are approximately 85–92%.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT): combines a light-sensitising cream with targeted light to destroy cancer cells. The cream is applied to the skin for several hours, then a specific wavelength of light activates it. PDT works well for superficial BCC and actinic keratoses, with cure rates of around 70–90% for the right tumour types. It has excellent cosmetic outcomes and is often preferred for cancers on sun-damaged facial skin.
Topical treatments: specifically imiquimod (Zyclara, Aldara) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) cream, are applied directly to the skin. Imiquimod activates the immune system to attack cancer cells; 5-FU interferes with cancer cell growth. Both are used for superficial BCCs and precancerous lesions. They are not appropriate for invasive or high-risk cancers.
Radiation therapy is used when surgery is not possible, such as in elderly patients, cancers in difficult locations, or cases where the patient’s health cannot tolerate an operation. It is also used after surgery if cancer cells were not fully removed. Radiation is not typically recommended for young patients as a first-line option because long-term cosmetic results are generally inferior to surgery.
Immunotherapy for Skin Cancer: How It Works and Who It Helps
Immunotherapy is a treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to find and destroy cancer cells. Instead of directly attacking the tumour like chemotherapy, immunotherapy removes the “brakes” that cancer cells put on immune responses, allowing the immune system to recognise and attack them.
The main class of immunotherapy used for skin cancer is checkpoint inhibitors, which block proteins called PD-1, PD-L1, or CTLA-4 that cancer cells exploit to hide from immune attack. For advanced BCC, SCC, and melanoma, checkpoint inhibitors have become the standard of care.
For advanced squamous cell carcinoma, three checkpoint inhibitors are now approved:
- Cemiplimab (Libtayo) — FDA approved in 2018, the first checkpoint inhibitor specifically for advanced SCC
- Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) — FDA approved for advanced SCC in 2020
- Cosibelimab (Unloxcyt) — FDA approved on December 13, 2024, for adults with metastatic or locally advanced SCC not eligible for curative surgery or radiation. In clinical trials, cosibelimab achieved an objective response rate of 47.4% in patients with metastatic SCC
All three of these drugs target the same molecular pathway, known as PD-1/PD-L1. Still, each takes a slightly different approach, one that may be optimal for different individuals or at different stages of treatment. In patients with advanced disease, response rates range from 34 to 50 percent.
For advanced basal cell carcinoma, hedgehog pathway inhibitors — vismodegib (Erivedge) and sonidegib (Odomzo) — are the standard targeted therapy. These drugs block a specific signalling pathway that drives BCC growth. They are used for BCCs that cannot be treated with surgery or radiation.
For melanoma, immunotherapy has produced some of the most dramatic improvements in cancer treatment history. We cover melanoma immunotherapy in detail in the melanoma section below.
Common side effects of immunotherapy include fatigue, skin rash, diarrhoea, and inflammation of various organs (such as the lungs, liver, colon, and thyroid). These immune-related side effects are usually manageable but can be serious in some cases. Your oncologist will monitor you closely throughout treatment.
Targeted Therapy for Melanoma: BRAF Inhibitors and Beyond
Targeted therapy works differently from immunotherapy. Rather than activating the immune system broadly, targeted therapy blocks specific genetic mutations that drive cancer cell growth. For melanoma, the most important target is the BRAF gene mutation.
Approximately 50% of all cutaneous melanomas carry a BRAF V600 mutation. In these cancers, the BRAF protein is permanently switched on, driving uncontrolled cell growth. BRAF inhibitors turn this signal off.
Approved BRAF-targeted therapies include:
- Vemurafenib (Zelboraf) and dabrafenib (Tafinlar): BRAF inhibitors
- Trametinib (Mekinist) and cobimetinib (Cotellic): MEK inhibitors, which block a second step in the same pathway
These drugs are almost always used in combination, a BRAF inhibitor plus a MEK inhibitor, because combination therapy dramatically reduces the development of resistance compared to either drug alone. For patients with BRAF-mutated melanoma, combination targeted therapy produces response rates of around 70%, with many patients experiencing rapid tumour shrinkage.
BRAF testing is now recommended from Stage IIB onwards, according to both the ESMO 2024 Clinical Practice Guidelines and the NCCN 2025-2026 Melanoma Guidelines. If you or a family member has been diagnosed with melanoma at Stage IIB or above, asking about BRAF mutation status is one of the most important questions you can raise with your oncologist.
Targeted therapy is not effective in melanomas without the BRAF V600 mutation, which is why genetic testing is essential before choosing a treatment plan.
Melanoma Treatment by Stage: What to Expect
Melanoma treatment is highly stage-dependent. Here is what current clinical guidelines recommend at each stage.
Stage 0 (melanoma in situ): Cancer is confined to the outermost layer of skin. Treatment is a wide local excision with a 5mm margin. Cure rates are nearly 100%. No further treatment is typically needed.
Stage I (localised, thin): Wide local excision with a 1cm margin. Sentinel lymph node biopsy may be recommended for tumours thicker than 0.8mm. 5-year survival rates are 90–95%. Surgery alone is curative in the vast majority of cases.
Stage II (localised, thicker): Wide local excision with a 1–2cm margin plus sentinel lymph node biopsy. Adjuvant (preventive) immunotherapy, typically pembrolizumab (Keytruda), is now recommended for Stage IIB and IIC after surgery to reduce recurrence risk.
Stage III (spread to nearby lymph nodes): Surgery to remove the primary tumour and affected lymph nodes, followed by adjuvant immunotherapy or targeted therapy. According to NCI clinical data, patients who received neoadjuvant pembrolizumab before surgery had a 72% event-free survival rate at 15 months, compared to 49% with surgery first. 5-year survival rates range from 60–80% depending on lymph node involvement.
Stage IV (metastatic): Treatment now typically involves combination immunotherapy — nivolumab plus ipilimumab (Opdivo + Yervoy) — as first-line therapy. More than half of patients treated with this combination were still alive five years after treatment in pivotal trials, a milestone that was unthinkable a decade ago. For BRAF-mutated Stage IV melanoma, combination targeted therapy (dabrafenib + trametinib) is an alternative first-line option. With modern immunotherapy, long-term survival at Stage IV has improved from under 10% historically to 30–50% in selected patients.
Basal Cell Carcinoma Treatment: Which Option Is Right for You?
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer, and the good news is that it is also the most treatable. The right treatment depends on where it is on the body, how large it is, what subtype it is, and whether it has come back after previous treatment.
For BCCs on the face, ears, nose, or eyelids, where tissue preservation matters, Mohs surgery is the first-line recommendation. Its 99% cure rate and tissue-sparing precision make it ideal for these cosmetically sensitive locations.
For BCCs on the trunk, arms, or legs, where cosmetic outcome is less critical, and the tumour is clearly defined, simple excision is highly effective and typically the preferred approach.
For superficial BCCs, those that have not grown deep, topical treatments like imiquimod, 5-FU cream, or photodynamic therapy are non-surgical alternatives with good cure rates and excellent cosmetic outcomes.
For BCCs that cannot be treated with surgery or radiation, including rare locally advanced or metastatic BCCs, hedgehog pathway inhibitors (vismodegib or sonidegib) are the standard medical treatment.
A person who has had one BCC has a 40% chance of developing another within 5–10 years, which makes regular dermatology follow-up just as important as the initial treatment.
What Happens If Skin Cancer Is Left Untreated?
If skin cancer is left untreated, the consequences depend heavily on the type — but for all three major types, delays in treatment increase the difficulty of treatment and the risk of serious outcomes.
Untreated basal cell carcinoma does not typically spread to distant organs, but it does grow continuously and can cause significant local destruction. Over months to years, an untreated BCC can invade deep tissues, including muscle, cartilage, and bone, particularly on the face. This can cause disfigurement and functional damage that requires complex reconstructive surgery. Rarely, BCC can become locally advanced enough to threaten the eyes or brain.
Untreated squamous cell carcinoma carries more serious risks. Around 1.5–5.2% of SCC cases become metastatic, meaning they spread to lymph nodes or distant organs. The risk of metastasis increases the longer the cancer grows undetected and untreated. SCC on the lips, ears, or in immunocompromised patients carries a higher metastatic risk. Once SCC has spread to lymph nodes, the 5-year survival rate drops significantly.
Untreated melanoma is the most dangerous scenario. Melanoma can metastasise quickly — even thin tumours can occasionally spread. Each additional millimetre of tumour thickness increases the risk of lymph node involvement and distant metastasis. A melanoma caught at Stage I has a 90–95% 5-year survival rate. Melanoma that has spread to distant organs (Stage IV) is far more difficult to treat, even with modern immunotherapy.
The consistent message across all three types: early treatment is dramatically more effective, less invasive, and less expensive than treating advanced disease. If you notice a changing mole, a sore that does not heal, or a new growth that looks unusual, see a dermatologist promptly. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends annual skin checks for adults.
New Skin Cancer Treatments Approved in 2024 and 2025
The pace of approval for new skin cancer treatments has accelerated significantly. Here are the most important recent developments.
Cosibelimab (Unloxcyt): FDA approved December 13, 2024. The FDA approved cosibelimab-ipdl, a PD-L1–blocking antibody, for adults with metastatic or locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma who are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation therapy. This approval adds a third checkpoint inhibitor option for advanced SCC alongside cemiplimab and pembrolizumab, giving oncologists more flexibility in selecting the right agent for individual patients.
Lifileucel (Amtagvi): FDA approved February 2024. The FDA approved lifileucel (Amtagvi) from Iovance Biotherapeutics for metastatic melanoma patients who have already tried and failed other drugs. This is the first tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy ever approved for any solid tumour, a landmark in cancer treatment. Among patients whose melanoma continued to grow after receiving anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, more than 30% showed a response to TIL therapy.
mRNA-4157 cancer vaccine (investigational). In a 2024 follow-up analysis of the KEYNOTE-942 trial, the personalised mRNA cancer vaccine mRNA-4157 combined with pembrolizumab showed a 44% reduction in the risk of recurrence or death in patients with resected Stage III/IV melanoma. This vaccine, developed by Moderna and Merck, is currently in Phase 3 trials and represents one of the most exciting developments in melanoma treatment.
Fianlimab plus cemiplimab for melanoma. Longer-term follow-up data presented in 2024-2025 showed promising results for the combination of fianlimab (a LAG-3 inhibitor) plus cemiplimab in metastatic melanoma, adding to the growing arsenal of combination immunotherapy approaches.
These approvals reflect a broader shift in skin cancer treatment, away from chemotherapy (which had limited effectiveness) and toward precision immunotherapy and personalised medicine that works with the patient’s own immune system.
What to Expect After Skin Cancer Treatment
Treatment is not the end of your skin cancer journey; it is the beginning of an ongoing monitoring relationship with your dermatologist. Here is what follow-up typically looks like and what you should know about recurrence.
The follow-up schedule depends on the type and stage. For BCC and low-risk SCC, annual skin checks are typically recommended for the first 5 years. For high-risk SCC or melanoma, follow-up visits may be every 3–6 months for the first 2 years, then every 6–12 months thereafter. Your dermatologist will tailor this schedule to your specific case.
Recurrence risk varies by treatment and cancer type. Less than 5% of BCCs come back after Mohs surgery or wide excision, compared to 15% or higher with some other treatment options. For SCC treated with Mohs, the 5-year recurrence rate is approximately 2.1%. For melanoma, around 80% of relapses in resected Stage III disease occur within the first 2 years, which is why close monitoring in that period is critical.
Having had skin cancer raises your risk of developing another one. A person who has had a BCC has a 40% chance of developing a new, separate BCC within 5–10 years. Having had melanoma increases your risk of a second melanoma. This is not a reason for alarm — it is a reason for consistency with follow-up and sun protection.
Sun protection after treatment is essential and genuinely reduces recurrence risk. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends SPF 30 or higher broad-spectrum sunscreen daily, protective clothing, and avoiding peak UV hours (10 am–4 pm). These are not optional lifestyle preferences; they are clinical recommendations backed by evidence.
Perform monthly self-checks. Know your skin, its normal freckles, moles, and spots. Report any new growths or changes to your dermatologist immediately. Early detection at follow-up is treated the same way as early detection at first diagnosis, quickly, effectively, and with a high chance of cure.
Questions to Ask Your Dermatologist or Oncologist
Going into a treatment consultation prepared makes an enormous difference. Here are the most important questions to raise:
- What type and stage of skin cancer is this exactly?
- What is my recommended treatment, and why is it the best option for my specific case?
- What is the cure rate or expected success rate for this treatment for my type and stage?
- What are the realistic side effects, and how are they managed?
- If surgery is recommended, where will the procedure take place and who will perform it?
- Should I have a BRAF mutation test? (For melanoma Stage IIB and above)
- Am I a candidate for a clinical trial?
- What does my follow-up schedule look like, and what signs of recurrence should I watch for?
- How will this treatment affect my appearance, and what reconstruction options are available?
- Are there any lifestyle changes, beyond sun protection, that reduce recurrence risk?
Bring a trusted person with you to appointments. Having a second set of ears helps you remember what was said and ask follow-up questions you might not think of in the moment.
Conclusion
Skin cancer treatment has never been more effective than it is today. Early-stage basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are cured in the vast majority of cases with well-established surgical techniques. Advanced cases, including metastatic melanoma that was once nearly untreatable, now respond to immunotherapy combinations that have extended survival from months to years.
Three things matter most:
- Early detection gives you access to the most effective, least invasive treatment options
- The right treatment depends on your specific cancer type, location, and stage, not a one-size-fits-all approach
- Ongoing follow-up and sun protection reduce your risk of a new skin cancer developing
If you are noticing early warning signs or want to understand what changes to look for, our guide on subtle signs your body is asking for a reset is a good companion read. And if you are managing the stress of a recent diagnosis, our complete guide to stress management covers evidence-based strategies that genuinely help.
Always consult a qualified dermatologist or oncologist for advice specific to your situation. The information in this guide is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Skin Cancer Treatment
What is the most effective treatment for basal cell carcinoma?
Mohs micrographic surgery is the most effective treatment for basal cell carcinoma, achieving a 5-year cure rate of up to 99% for primary tumours. For superficial BCCs on the trunk or limbs, simple excision, photodynamic therapy, or topical imiquimod are also highly effective. The best option depends on the size, location, subtype, and whether the cancer has recurred. A dermatologist will recommend the most appropriate approach for your specific tumour.
Can squamous cell carcinoma be completely cured?
Yes. Most squamous cell carcinomas are completely cured when caught and treated early. Approximately 92% of SCCs are cured with surgical excision alone, and Mohs surgery achieves even higher cure rates. The key risk is delayed treatment — SCC that has spread to lymph nodes or distant organs is significantly harder to treat. Annual skin checks and prompt attention to new or changing skin lesions are the most effective tools for ensuring early, curative treatment.
How long does Mohs surgery take to heal?
Most Mohs surgery wounds heal within 1–3 weeks for straightforward cases. Wounds on the face may take 4–6 weeks for full healing, particularly if reconstruction was needed. The procedure itself is typically completed in one day as an outpatient procedure under local anaesthetic. Your surgeon will provide specific wound care instructions. Scarring is generally minimal because Mohs surgery preserves healthy tissue more effectively than standard excision.
What is the difference between immunotherapy and chemotherapy for skin cancer?
Chemotherapy kills rapidly dividing cells, both cancer cells and healthy cells, causing the well-known side effects of hair loss, nausea, and immune suppression. Immunotherapy activates your own immune system to recognise and destroy cancer cells specifically, without the broad cell destruction of chemotherapy. For most skin cancers, immunotherapy has largely replaced chemotherapy because it is more effective and better tolerated. Chemotherapy is now used primarily for rare cases of advanced skin cancer that have not responded to other treatments.
What new skin cancer treatments were approved in 2024 and 2025?
Two major approvals occurred in 2024. Lifileucel (Amtagvi) was FDA-approved in February 2024 as the first tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy for metastatic melanoma, the first cellular therapy ever approved for a solid tumour. Cosibelimab (Unloxcyt) was FDA-approved in December 2024 for advanced squamous cell carcinoma, adding a third checkpoint inhibitor option for this cancer type. A personalised mRNA cancer vaccine showed a 44% reduction in melanoma recurrence risk in a 2024 clinical trial data and is currently in Phase 3 trials.
Does skin cancer come back after Mohs surgery?
Recurrence after Mohs surgery is uncommon but possible. For primary BCC, the 5-year recurrence rate after Mohs is approximately 1–3.3%, significantly lower than the 15% or higher seen with some other treatments. For primary SCC, Mohs surgery has a 5-year recurrence rate of around 2.1%. Recurrent cancers, those that have already come back once, have somewhat higher recurrence rates even after Mohs. Regular follow-up with your dermatologist is essential to catch any recurrence early.
What happens if melanoma is not treated?
Untreated melanoma grows and spreads. Even thin melanomas can occasionally spread to lymph nodes or distant organs. The longer melanoma goes untreated, the thicker it becomes, and the higher the risk of metastasis. A Stage I melanoma caught early has a 90–95% 5-year survival rate. Stage IV melanoma, after distant spread, is far more difficult to treat, even with modern immunotherapy. Melanoma is one of the fastest-spreading cancers and should never be monitored without medical consultation.
What should I eat or do to reduce skin cancer recurrence risk?
Sun protection is the single most evidence-backed action you can take. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends daily use of SPF 30 or higher broad-spectrum sunscreen, UV-protective clothing, and avoiding peak sun hours (10 am–4 pm). Beyond sun protection, maintaining a healthy immune system through regular exercise, good sleep, a diet rich in antioxidants, and not smoking all contribute to overall cancer resilience. Some research suggests that nicotinamide (vitamin B3) supplementation may reduce the rate of new non-melanoma skin cancers in high-risk individuals. Discuss this with your dermatologist.
About The Author:
James Bennett is a freelance health writer and researcher with a passion for translating complex medical information into clear, engaging content. With a background in journalism and a special interest in men’s health, James has spent the past decade crafting articles that empower readers to take charge of their well-being. His work often focuses on critical topics like prostate cancer, radiotherapy, and advancements in medical care, helping to demystify these issues for a wide audience. Outside of writing, James enjoys hiking, reading, and volunteering with local health advocacy organizations to promote awareness of early detection and preventive care.
