What is squamous cell carcinoma

Last Name. Thank you for subscribing Your in-depth coping with cancer guide will be in your inbox shortly. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Where skin cancer develops Open pop-up dialog box Close. Where skin cancer develops Skin cancer begins in the cells that make up the outer layer epidermis of your skin.

Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Habif TP. Premalignant and malignant nonmelanoma skin tumors. Louis, Mo. Accessed May 14, Alam M, et al. Guidelines of care for the management of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Sun safety.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed May 21, Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. Rochester, Minn.

Squamous cell skin cancer. Plymouth Meeting, Pa. Niederhuber JE, et al. Nonmelanoma skin cancers: Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. In: Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. Philadelphia, Pa. Gibson LE expert opinion. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 4, Related Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. Associated Procedures Mohs surgery Photodynamic therapy Radiation therapy Skin biopsy Show more associated procedures. A persistent, scaly red patch with irregular borders that sometimes crusts or bleeds.

An elevated growth with a central depression that occasionally bleeds. It may rapidly increase in size.

While the majority of SCCs can be easily and successfully treated, if allowed to grow, these lesions can become disfiguring, dangerous and even deadly. Untreated SCCs can become invasive, grow into deeper layers of skin and spread to other parts of the body. Want to spread the word about skin cancer awareness? Complete the form and you may end up on our website. Squamous Cell Carcinoma Overview. What is a squamous cell?

What does SCC look like? Risk Factors. Warning Signs. Advanced Treatment. It may rapidly increase in size. SCCs can also look different from the descriptions above. If you notice anything unusual, such as a sore that fails to heal, or a new spot, make an appointment with your dermatologist. Please note: Since not all SCCs have the same appearance, these photos serve as a general reference for what they can look like.

Examine yourself head to toe once a month: Keep an eye out for new or changing lesions that grow, bleed, or do not heal. Learn how to check your skin here. When in doubt, check it out. These specialists are skilled at identifying and treating abnormal skin growths that may be undetectable to the untrained eye and can check areas of your body that are difficult for you to see yourself. Practice sun safety: Making daily sun protection a part of your lifestyle is the single most effective way to reduce your risk of developing skin cancer.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma Warning Signs. Early Detection Best Practices.