If you are exposed to the sun’s rays that are chronic, then squamous cell skin cancer can occur.
Tumors can be found on your sun-exposed neck, hands, bald scalp, face, arms, back and shoulders.
The lower lip and ear rim are mostly affected by this cancer.
The squamous cell skin cancer also occurs when you have an injury on your skin, exposure to x-rays, burns, long standing sore, certain chemicals or scars.
Risk of squamous cell skin cancer is due to history of exposure to sun. But the potential of the cancer is increased by the genetic and environmental factors.
Sun exposure: 90% of the skin cancers are due to the exposure to the sunlight. Risk for skin cancer development depends on the out door working. If you spend most of the time in tanning booth and live in places where the intensity of the sunlight is more (Australia), it will increase the UV rays exposure.
Skin type: If you are having the fair skin, gray, blue, green eyes and light hair, then the risk for this disease is high. Dark-skinned Africans, Hispanics and Asians have less risk than the Caucasians to the cancer development.
Reduced immunity: In case, if you have weak immune system due to illness, chemotherapy, excessive sun exposure and HIV/AIDS, then you are at higher risk for developing cancer.
Symptoms and signs of squamous cell skin cancer are lesions that appear as nodules, scales, pink or rough that bleed. If the cancer appears on epidermis, then it is called as squamous cell carcinoma insitu or Bowen’s disease.
When it reaches the dermis by penetrating through epidermis, then it becomes invasive. The deeper lesions appear on the ears, temples, hands and lips.
Certain tests should be conducted to diagnose if you observe these lesions. The lesions that are not healed can be treated by biopsy method. The biopsy can differentiate the malignant tumor and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). These cancers require therapies that are aggressive.
The treatment is based on the type of tumor, size of lesions, your age and the location of lesions. By desiccation and Curettage, the SCC in-situ can be eradicated. This method involves the burning of cancer cells and scrapping them out. Invasive SCC, which is not deep and small can also be treated by this method.
The surgical excision is used to excise the large and small SCC. Along with tumor, the healthy tissue is also removed in order to prevent the recurrence. The excised tissue is tested by the pathologist. The margins are checked to know whether the cancer is removed completely or not. If the tumors developed on your body are large, then surgery is done.
Radiation therapy is effective to treat the tumors on your eye-lids, nose and lips. It destroys the tumors along with healthy tissue surrounding the tumor. The lymph nodes that are spread by SCC are treated by surgery or radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
Cryosurgery is used to treat your skin lesions with liquid nitrogen. The scar remains after the wound is healed within 4 weeks.
So, squamous cell skin cancer can be treated by cryosurgery, biopsy and in some cases by chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy.