It begins as a small nodule and as it enlarges the center becomes necrotic and sloughs and the nodule turns into an ulcer.
- The lesion caused by SCC is often asymptomatic
- Ulcer or reddish skin plaque that is slow growing
- Intermittent bleeding from the tumor, especially on the lip
- The clinical appearance is highly variable
- Usually the tumor presents as an ulcerated lesion with hard, raised edges
- The tumor may be in the form of a hard plaque or a papule, often with an opalescent quality, with telangiectasia
- The tumor can lie below the level of the surrounding skin, and eventually ulcerates and invades the underlying tissue
- The tumor commonly presents on sun-exposed areas (e.g. back of the hand, scalp, lip, and superior surface of pinna)
- On the lip, the tumor forms a small ulcer, which fails to heal and bleeds intermittently
- Evidence of chronic skin photodamage, such as multiple actinic keratoses (solar keratoses)
- The tumor grows relatively slowly
- Unlike basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has a substantial risk of metastasis
- Risk of metastasis is higher in SCC arising in scars, on the lower lips or mucosa, and occurring in immunosuppressed patients. About *one-third of lingual and mucosal tumors metastasize before diagnosis (these are often related to tobacco and alcohol use)
Further Reading
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"Squamous cell carcinoma"
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