Actor Hugh Jackman treated for skin cancer

Wolverine star Hugh Jackman announced on Instagram that he was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) after he got his nose checked.

17:00 22 November 2013

Australian actor Hugh Jackman has confirmed that he is being treated for skin cancer.

Posting a picture of his face with a bandage on his nose to his Instagram account, he wrote: "Please don't be foolish like me. Get yourself checked."

He confirmed that he had been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), which accounts for about 75per cent of skin cancer. It typically develops on skin when exposed to the sun.

The Oscar nominee for Les Miserables said that his wife, Deborah-Lee Furness, had told him to seek medical advice. "Deb said to get the mark on my nose checked. Boy, was she right!"

He added: "Please don't be foolish like me. Get yourself checked. And USE sunscreen!!!"

BCC produces cancerous cells on the surface of the skin. Surgery is the main treatment. If left untreated, it rarely spreads to other parts of the body, but it can damage or disfigure surrounding tissue.