Squamous cell carcinoma
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| Squamous cell carcinoma, NOS Classification and external resources | |
 | |
|---|---|
| Tends to arise from pre-malignant lesions, actinic keratoses; surface is usually scaly and often ulcerates (as shown here). | |
| ICD-10 | C44 |
| ICD-9 | 173 |
| ICD-O: | M8070/3 |
| MedlinePlus | 000829 |
| eMedicine | derm/401 |
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Overview
In medicine, squamous cell carcinoma is a form of cancer of the carcinoma type that may occur in many different organs, including the skin, mouth, esophagus, prostate, lungs, and cervix. It is a malignant tumor of epithelium that shows squamous cell differentiation. This type of cancer can be seen on the skin, lips, inside the mouth, throat or esophagus. This type of cancer is characterized by red, scaly skin that becomes an open sore.
Epidemiology and Demographics
Squamous cell carcinoma affects more than 200,000 people in the United States alone every year.
Risk Factors
Smoking is a significant risk factor. Other risk factors include sun exposure, radiation therapy, exposure to carcinogens, chronic skin irritation or inflammation, genetic diseases, and presence of premalignant lesions. Squamous cell cancer can also occur after organ (e.g. heart, kidney) transplantation. Anti-rejection drugs, that ensure the organ is not rejected by the body, can also suppress the immune system. This can be a major factor towards squamous cell skin cancer.
Terminology
A carcinoma can be characterized as either in situ (confined to the original site) or invasive.
Diagnosis
Physical Examination
Skin
Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is often caused by long term exposure to the sun. To be diagnosed, a biopsy is done where a sample is taken and examined under a microscope by a Pathologist. If it is found to be cancerous, a surgery is done to remove it. Squamous cell carcinomas account for about 20% of non-melanoma skin cancers, (with basal cell carcinomas accounting for about 80%), and are clinically more significant because of their ability to metastasize. Squamous cell carcinoma is usually developed in the epithelial layer of the skin and sometimes in various mucous membranes of the body.
Ear Nose and Throat
 Squamous cell skin cancer.[1] |
 A large squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue[1] |
 This patient had two adjacent cancers. The flat black lesion below the antitragus is a malignant melanoma. The white elevated keratotic lesion is a squamous cell carcinoma [1]. |
Prostate
When associated with the prostate, squamous cell carcinoma is very aggressive in nature. It is difficult to detect as there is no increase in prostate specific antigen levels seen; meaning that the cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage.
Lung
When associated with the lung, it often causes ectopic production of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), resulting in hypercalcemia.
 Biopsy of a highly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth. Haematoxylin & eosin stain. |
 Photograph of a squamous cell carcinoma. Tumour is on the left, obstructing the bronchus (lung). Beyond the tumour the bronchus is inflammed and contains mucus |
References
External links
- Information on Squamous Cell Carcinoma from The Skin Cancer Foundation
- Article by Stephen D Hess, MD, PhD
- DermNet NZ: Squamous cell carcinoma
- Squamous cell carcinoma in transplant recipients
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Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
