Signs & Symptoms Cancer Show
The most common warning sign of skin cancer is a change on the skin, especially a new growth or a sore that doesn't heal. The cancer may start as a small, smooth, shiny, pale or waxy lump. It also may appear as a firm red lump. Sometimes, the lump bleeds or develops a crust. Both basal and squamous cell cancers are found mainly on areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun — the head, face, neck, hands and arms. But skin cancer can occur anywhere. An early warning sign of skin cancer is the development of an actinic keratosis, a precancerous skin lesion caused by chronic sun exposure. These lesions are typically pink or red in color and rough or scaly to the touch. They occur on sun-exposed areas of the skin such as the face, scalp, ears, backs of hands or forearms. Actinic keratoses may start as small, red, flat spots but grow larger and become scaly or thick, if untreated. Sometimes they're easier to feel than to see. There may be multiple lesions next to each other. Early treatment of actinic keratoses may prevent them from developing into cancer. These precancerous lesions affect more than 10 million Americans. People with one actinic keratosis usually develop more. Up to 1 percent of these lesions can develop into a squamous cell cancer. Actinic keratoses are most common in people older than 40, but can appear in younger individuals with extensive sun exposure. Because they can turn cancerous, affected areas should be regularly examined and treated by a primary care doctor or dermatologist. Basal cell carcinoma is the most commonly diagnosed skin cancer. In recent years, there has been an upturn in the diagnoses among young women and the rise is blamed on sunbathing and tanning salons. Basal cell carcinoma is rarely fatal and doesn't typically spread, but it's important to catch it in the early stages so the surgical removal is as non-invasive as possible. It generally occurs on sun-exposed areas and often looks like pink bumps with the following features:
Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common skin cancer after basal cell. It's rarely deadly, but may spread or recur if not caught early. It's often found on the head, hands, ears, back of neck and forearms — areas with more sun exposure. Characteristics include:
OverviewSquamous cell carcinoma of the skin is a common form of skin cancer that develops in the squamous cells that make up the middle and outer layers of the skin. Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is usually not life-threatening, though it can be aggressive. Untreated, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin can grow large or spread to other parts of your body, causing serious complications. Most squamous cell carcinomas of the skin result from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, either from sunlight or from tanning beds or lamps. Avoiding UV light helps reduce your risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin and other forms of skin cancer. Squamous cells are found in many places in your body, and squamous cell carcinoma can occur anywhere squamous cells are found. Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin refers to cancer that forms in the squamous cells found in the skin. Products & Services
SymptomsSquamous cell carcinoma of the skin most often occurs on sun-exposed skin, such as your scalp, the backs of your hands, your ears or your lips. But it can occur anywhere on your body, including inside your mouth, the bottoms of your feet and on your genitals. Signs and symptoms of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin include:
When to see a doctorMake an appointment with your doctor if you have a sore or scab that doesn't heal in about two months or a flat patch of scaly skin that won't go away. Subscribe for free and receive an in-depth guide to coping with cancer, plus helpful information on how to get a second opinion. You can unsubscribe at any time. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this
information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. CausesSquamous cell carcinoma of the skin occurs when the flat, thin squamous cells in the middle and outer layers of your skin develop changes (mutations) in their DNA. A cell's DNA contains the instructions that tell a cell what to do. The mutations tell the squamous cells to grow out of control and to continue living when normal cells would die. Most of the DNA mutations in skin cells are caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation found in sunlight and in commercial tanning lamps and tanning beds. But sun exposure doesn't explain skin cancers that develop on skin not ordinarily exposed to sunlight. This indicates that other factors may contribute to your risk of skin cancer, such as having a condition that weakens your immune system. Risk factorsFactors that may increase your risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin include:
ComplicationsUntreated squamous cell carcinoma of the skin can destroy nearby healthy tissue, spread to the lymph nodes or other organs, and may be fatal, although this is uncommon. The risk of aggressive squamous cell carcinoma of the skin may be increased in cases where the cancer:
PreventionMost squamous cell carcinomas of the skin can be prevented. To protect yourself:
How serious is squamous cell carcinoma on the scalp?Conclusion: Squamous cell carcinomas of the scalp may metastasize and cause death. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment of these neoplasms is mandatory.
How do you treat squamous cell carcinoma on the scalp?Firstline treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is usually TransOral Robotic Surgery (TORS). Radiation therapy and chemotherapy may be used following surgery depending on the diagnosis and stage of cancer. TransOral Robotic Surgery (TORS) offers a minimally invasive surgical option.
How do you know if you have skin cancer on your scalp?Some early signs and symptoms include :. a new or changing growth, bump, or spot on the skin.. a sore that bleeds and takes a long time to heal.. rough and scaly patches that may crust, bleed, or be discolored.. a wart-like growth.. a mole that changes in appearance or has an odd shape or irregular border.. What does a cancer spot on scalp look like?Some BCC skin cancers on the scalp may appear brown and pigmented like a mole: Squamous cell skin cancer (SCC): often starts off with a rough, scaly patch, but can quickly get quite raised, firm, red and crusty. They can also become tender when pressed.
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