Fast Facts about Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Monday, December 19th, 2011

• Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is  the second most common form of skin cancer (after basal cell carcinoma)
• SCC is twice as common in men as in women
• Chronic exposure to sunlight causes most cases of SCC
• SCC results from an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells arising in the squamous cells of the skin
• SCC most often appears on skin that gets lots of sun. It also can appear inside the mouth, on the lip, or on the genitals
• People who use tanning beds are two-and-a-half times more likely to develop SCC than people who don’t
• SCC rarely appears before age 50. It occurs most often in individuals in their 70s
• An estimated 700,000 cases of SCC are diagnosed each year in the US, resulting in approximately 2,500 deaths
• Certain rough, dry, scaly precancerous skin growths called actinic (solar) keratoses are associated with the later development of SCC. Most are related to cumulative sun exposure
• Between 2 and 10 percent of untreated actinic keratoses will become SCC
• See a dermatologist for a skin cancer check if you notice anything on your skin that lasts two weeks or longer and is growing, changing shape, bleeding or itching

Photo from http://www.skincancer.org

Tags: actinic keratoses, dry skin, rough skin, scaly skin, Squamous cell carcinoma
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