{"id":1773,"date":"2023-02-23T10:06:04","date_gmt":"2023-02-23T10:06:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/?p=1773"},"modified":"2023-02-28T10:56:15","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T10:56:15","slug":"squamous-cell-carcinoma-possible-treatments-and-outlook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/blog\/squamous-cell-carcinoma-possible-treatments-and-outlook\/","title":{"rendered":"Squamous Cell Carcinoma &#8211; Possible Treatments and Outlook"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">SCC or squamous cell carcinoma (also called cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma or CSCC) is the second most prevalent form of skin malignancy next to basal cell carcinoma. Most often, squamous cancer tumors develop in the areas of the skin that get the most sun exposure, such as the legs, head, and arms. This malignancy may also form in other body areas with mucous membranes. These are the body cavities and the inner lining of organs, such as the mouth, anus, and lungs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As some of the best <\/span><a href=\"\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/general-surgeon-wellington-florida\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">general surgeons in Wellington, FL<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, we believe that our patients and readers should learn more about why some procedures are performed. Therefore, Dr. Eldredge and Dr. Shapiro, with their expert team, have created this comprehensive article to discuss the characteristics of squamous cells and how the mutations in these cells can be addressed with the help of surgery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">And if you still have any concerns or questions after reading the article, please <\/span><a href=\"\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">contact Advanced Surgical Physicians<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and schedule a consultation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Squamous Cell Carcinoma Types<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Based on where the tumor originates from and how much cancer is in the patient\u2019s body, experts differentiate the following types of squamous cell carcinoma:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Metastatic,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in which the cancerous cells spread to other body parts beyond the skin.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Cutaneous<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, or squamous cell carcinoma in situ, where mutated cells haven\u2019t spread beyond the skin\u2019s top layer yet.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Who Is at Risk of Squamous Cell Carcinoma?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter size-full wp-image-1775\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Who-Is-at-Risk-of-Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Who-Is-at-Risk-of-Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma.jpg\" alt=\"Healthcare, Geriatric Medicine, Medical Check Up.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271000%27%20height%3D%27667%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201000%20667%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271000%27%20height%3D%27667%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Who-Is-at-Risk-of-Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Who-Is-at-Risk-of-Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Who-Is-at-Risk-of-Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Who-Is-at-Risk-of-Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Who-Is-at-Risk-of-Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Who-Is-at-Risk-of-Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Who-Is-at-Risk-of-Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma.jpg 1000w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Generally speaking, this malignancy can affect anyone, but there\u2019s an increased risk of developing these malignancies if you:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Experience long-term sun exposure or severe sun damage to your skin at a younger age.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Have a pale complexion, red or blonde hair, and green or blue eyes.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Are 65 years old or older.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Have been exposed to chemicals such as arsenic or other materials (even found in cigarettes).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Underwent an organ transplant.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Have a weak immune system.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Statistically speaking, men are twice as likely to develop squamous cancer than women, and people older than 50 are the age group with the highest risk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Squamous Cell Carcinoma Causes and Symptoms\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For the most part, symptoms of these malignancies will include skin changes such as:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A rough growth or bump on the skin may bleed and crust over like scabs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A sore or wound that won\u2019t heal or heal but will recur.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A growth that\u2019s higher than the surrounding skin but sinks in the middle.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A flat, scaly, red skin area that\u2019s larger than an inch.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The bump can feel itchy, scaly, and dry and will often have a different color than the rest of the surrounding area.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Lesions on the lower lips that are cracked, dry, and pale causing a burning sensation when experiencing sun exposure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pale or white spots in the gums, mouth, tongue, or cheeks.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As mentioned above, this malignancy may develop on any part of the body, but they usually occur in the following areas:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The skin<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Threat, tongue, mouth<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stomach (epidermoid or esophageal carcinoma)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Lips, nose, eyelids, scalp, face<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Anal cavity<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Legs, hands, and arms<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The medical community agrees that the leading cause of the malignancy is the p53 gene mutation, which most often happens from UV exposure to the sun or indoor tanning beds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">More specifically, the p53 gene regulates cell replication and division to replace other healthy cells when they near the end of their lifespan. In other words, the p53 gene acts as a tumor suppressor, and if the gene fails to give the correct instruction to the cells, squamous cells may start to divide and replicate too frequently, causing lesions, bumps, and limps in and on the body.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For the most part, squamous cell carcinoma is in situ, meaning that it rarely metastasizes to other body parts, and even if it does, the process happens rather slowly. Needless to say, this can be life-threatening, and the tumor must be addressed by a medical professional as soon as possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Diagnosing Squamous Cell Carcinoma,<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If your provider suspects that a malignancy may be present, they will first perform a physical examination, observing the area where you are experiencing the symptoms and assessing the growth\u2019s size, shape, color, and so on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The doctor may also ask questions about your medical history and your lifestyle habits and may ask more specific questions about your symptoms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After a physical exam, the provider may recommend further tests to confirm the diagnosis, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Imaging tests like an MRI or CT scan<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Skin biopsy removes a small sample of the tissue in question for further examination.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Squamous Cell Carcinoma Stages\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After establishing a diagnosis, healthcare providers usually assign a stage to the malignancy, which aims to signal how much cancer is in the body. Staging is crucial for creating a proper and effective treatment plan for the patient. In the case of squamous cell malignancies, experts usually differentiate five stages, which are the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Stage 0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The cancer is only in the epidermis. This is also referred to as squamous cell carcinoma in situ.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Stage I<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The tumor is present both in the epidermis and the dermis, or the middle layer of the skin.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Sage II<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: The malignancy has spread to the deeper layers of the skin (subcutis) or may move to target the nerves.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Stage III:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The cancerous cells have spread to the lymph nodes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Stage IV: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The cells have moved to other organs like the brain, liver, or lungs.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Treatment<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter size-full wp-image-1776\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Treatment.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Treatment.jpg\" alt=\"Patient Explaining Her Painful to Doctor in the Office\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271000%27%20height%3D%27667%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201000%20667%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271000%27%20height%3D%27667%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Treatment-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Treatment-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Treatment-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Treatment-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Treatment-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Treatment-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2023\/02\/Treatment.jpg 1000w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Treatment will mainly revolve around removing the cancerous cells from the body. Based on the shape, location, and size of the tumor, the treatment may include the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>PDT, or photodynamic therapy,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> which uses light-sensitive agents and blue lights to remove cancerous cells from the skin.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Mohs surgery<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, which removes the skin layers that are affected by the malignancy. This is the most prevalent option for treating facial cancers.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Cryosurgery, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">which freezes the cancer cells, destroying them in the process.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Excision,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> which cuts cancer out of the affected area. Later, the skin is stitched back together.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Cutterage and electrodesiccation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> involve scratching off the lump with a curette and then burning the affected area with the help of an electric needle.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Systemic chemotherapy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, which uses powerful drugs to destroy all cancerous cells in the body.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On the other hand, some other medications may also be helpful in the treatment process. More specifically, in some instances, healthcare providers may offer the following treatment methods:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Immunotherapy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to treat advanced cancers or other cases of squamous cell carcinoma that can\u2019t be treated with surgery<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Skin creams<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> with 5-fluorouracil or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/drugs-supplements\/imiquimod-topical-route\/proper-use\/drg-20067474\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">imiquimod<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to treat tumors on the epidermis.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Outlook<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fortunately, most squamous cell carcinoma cases will have a positive outcome with an outstanding survival rate, especially in the case of early diagnosis and treatment. Catching the disease early can prevent the tumor from growing and spreading to other bodily organs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Still, patients must not forget that there\u2019s a slight chance that cancer will return in the future. As such, scheduling regular follow-ups with your healthcare provider is essential to ensure everything\u2019s all right. Also, proper UV protection and other strategies are necessary to lower the risk of recurrence.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Learn More<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Schedule an appointment with us today to learn more about each treatment process, its possible benefits, and complications, and learn the strategies that may help minimize the risk of developing squamous cell malignancies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Please remember that this blog is for informational purposes only. If symptoms do not resolve or if they return, seek medical attention as soon as possible at your primary care physician or with our office.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SCC or squamous cell carcinoma (also called cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma or CSCC) is the second most prevalent form of skin malignancy next to basal cell carcinoma. Most often, squamous cancer tumors develop in the areas of the skin that get the most sun exposure, such as the legs, head, and arms. This malignancy may  [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1774,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[377],"tags":[381,380,378,379,382],"class_list":["post-1773","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cancer","tag-p53-gene-mutation","tag-squamous-cancer","tag-squamous-cell","tag-squamous-cell-carcinoma","tag-squamous-cell-carcinoma-in-situ"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1773","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1773"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1773\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1774"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/advanced-surgical-physicians\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}