Squamous cell carcinoma: From symptoms to treatments

Last updated: January 13, 2026

What is squamous cell carcinoma?

Squamous cell carcinoma is a common type of skin cancer that often looks like a scaly patch, dome-shaped growth, or sore. It tends to grow slowly, but sometimes growth is quick. A board-certified dermatologist can tell you if you have this skin cancer. When found early, squamous cell carcinoma is highly treatable.

In this article:

• Symptoms

• Diagnosis

• Treatment

• Causes

Symptoms of squamous cell carcinoma

If you have squamous cell carcinoma, you may notice a growth on or change to your skin. This growth or change may look like a:

• Rough, scaly patch

• Firm, dome-shaped growth

• Spot that looks like a sore surrounded by raised skin

• Sore that doesn’t heal and may bleed or heals and comes back

• Wart-like growth

• Horn-like growth

• Change to a scar

For some people, the only sign of squamous cell carcinoma may be a growth or change. They may not feel anything on their skin. However, it’s possible to have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Pain

• Tenderness

• Itch

• Numbness

• Stinging or burning

• Pins-and-needles feeling

Pain or tenderness may be mild at first and become more intense with time. Sometimes, they develops quickly.

Some people notice scabbing and bleeding.

What does squamous cell carcinoma look like?

The following pictures of squamous cell carcinoma show common ways this skin cancer can appear on the skin:

Pictures of squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma can look like a firm, dome-shaped growth with a raised border.

Squamous cell carcinoma may look like a firm, dome-shaped growth that’s crusty and getting larger.

This scaly, dry-looking, rough skin (circled) is squamous cell carcinoma in situ, the earliest form of this skin cancer.

View more pictures of what squamous cell carcinoma can look like.

Keep in mind that you cannot know whether you have this skin cancer by looking at pictures. If you’re concerned about a spot or growth on your skin, make an appointment to see a board-certified dermatologist. This doctor is an expert at diagnosing skin cancer, so they can examine your skin and tell you the appropriate next step to take.

Does squamous cell carcinoma always itch?

Squamous cell carcinoma can itch, but it doesn’t always. If you have an itch, it may develop:

• Before you see a growth or spot on your skin

• On or around the growth or spot (sometimes both)

Where does squamous cell carcinoma develop on the skin?

Squamous cell carcinoma most often develops on skin that’s been exposed to the sun, but it can develop anywhere on your skin. Most people develop it in one of the following areas:

• Face

• Scalp

• Neck

• Arm

• Hand

• Lower leg

Less often, this skin cancer can develop in the following areas:

• Mouth (inside)

• Nail (around or beneath)

• Anus

• Genitals

One type of squamous cell carcinoma develops almost exclusively in men who have not been circumcised. On the penis, this cancer can cause redness, crusting, open sores, bleeding, pain, or itch. Some men may develop difficulty urinating or see discharge.

Squamous cell carcinoma can also develop within any of the following on your skin:

• Actinic keratosis (pre-cancerous skin growth)

• Wound or sore (usually one you had for months or years)

• Scar (especially one caused by a burn)

Pay close attention to your scars and wounds that don’t heal

Because squamous cell carcinoma can develop in a scar, wound, or sore, it’s important to look closely at these. If you notice any of the following changes to a scar, wound, or sore, immediately see a dermatologist:

• A growth (including a foul-smelling growth)

• Bumps

• Bleeding

What color is squamous cell carcinoma?

On all skin tones, you may see a growth or spot that is:

• Red or pink

• Brown or black

• Same color as your skin

• One color with flecks of other colors, including scabs

Can squamous cell carcinoma turn into melanoma?

No, squamous cell carcinoma cannot turn into melanoma. Each type of skin cancer develops in a different type of skin cell. For example, squamous cell carcinoma develops only in skin cells called keratinocytes, and melanoma only in skin cells called melanocytes.

Keep in mind that if you’ve had skin cancer, your risk of developing another skin cancer increases. If you develop another skin cancer, it may be different from the type you had before.

You can reduce your risk of developing another skin cancer by protecting your skin from the sun and not using indoor tanning equipment like tanning beds.

For more information about how to protect your skin after developing this skin cancer, see Life after treatment.

How is squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed?

Diagnosing squamous cell carcinoma requires a skin exam, providing your dermatologist with information about your health (medical history), and a skin biopsy. All are required for an accurate diagnosis.

To give you an accurate diagnosis, which is required for proper treatment, your dermatologist will:

1. Examine the spot: If you have a spot, scaly area, or growth on your skin that concerns you, your dermatologist will examine it carefully.

   If the spot, patch, or growth could be any type of skin cancer, your dermatologist will talk with you about your health.

2. Ask for health information: To give you the best care, it’s important for your dermatologist to have specific information.

   Bring the following information with you to your appointment:

   • List of medications (with dosage) you take, including medication that you can buy without a prescription, such as aspirin.
   • Names of vitamins and supplements you take and how often you take them.
   • List of medical conditions, including allergies.

   Also, be sure to tell your dermatologist if:

   • You’ve had skin cancer before, including the type of skin cancer you had, the treatment you received, and when you had the treatment.
   • You live with a transplanted organ.

3. Perform a skin biopsy: This involves your dermatologist removing a sample from the spot or growth that could be skin cancer. A skin biopsy is the only way to know whether you have skin cancer.

   Your dermatologist will perform the skin biopsy during your appointment.

   To perform a skin biopsy, your dermatologist will:

   • Numb the area.
   • Remove a sample from the spot.

   The sample that your dermatologist removes will be sent to a lab where it will be placed under a microscope by a doctor. This doctor, who is a dermatologist or dermatopathologist, has in-depth expertise in diagnosing skin growths.

   Sometimes, dermatologists order a skin biopsy to find out if you have another skin condition, such as psoriasis. Like squamous cell carcinoma, psoriasis can cause rough, scaly patches.

4. Give you instructions for at-home care: Before you leave the office, you’ll receive instructions on how to care for the skin where you had the biopsy. You’ll also find this information at Skin biopsy: Dermatologist-recommended wound care.

5. Share the biopsy results with you: Your dermatologist receives the results of your skin biopsy in a report called either a biopsy report or pathology report. This report explains what the doctor saw under the microscope when looking at the sample that your dermatologist removed.

   If the doctor saw cancerous squamous cells under the microscope, your diagnosis is squamous cell carcinoma.

   Along with diagnosing the type of skin cancer, the report will also include information about:

   • How far cancer has grown into the skin.
   • If any high-risk features were seen, which would make this skin cancer more likely to return after treatment or spread.
   • Relevant information to help your dermatologist develop a personalized treatment plan.

   You should receive the results of your biopsy within a week.

6. Have a full-body skin exam, and if needed, more testing: If you have squamous cell carcinoma, your dermatologist will talk with you about the next steps.

   At some point after diagnosis, you’ll need a full-body skin exam. To perform this exam, your dermatologist will examine your entire body to find out if you have another spot or growth on your skin that could be skin cancer.

   If you’ve been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma that is more likely to return after treatment or spread, your dermatologist will also examine your lymph nodes closest to the tumor. When cancer spreads, it often travels to the closest lymph nodes first. To find signs of this, your dermatologist may:

   • Feel lymph nodes nearest the tumor to find out if any seem swollen or tender.
   • Send you for an ultrasound.

   You may also need more testing, such as:

   CT scan, MRI, or PET scan: If your biopsy report indicates that the cancer has grown deep or seems more likely to return after treatment or spread, you may need imaging tests like a CT scan or MRI. These tests can tell your dermatologist how deeply the cancer may have grown and if it may have spread to one or more lymph nodes. Knowing this helps determine the best treatment plan for you.

Words in your skin cancer biopsy report and what they mean

A biopsy report contains precise medical terms. These terms prevent misunderstandings that could occur between doctors. To help you understand words that you may see in a biopsy report about squamous cell carcinoma, you’ll find answers to questions that patients often ask when reading this report.

What is squamous cell carcinoma in situ?

This is the medical term for the earliest stage of squamous cell skin cancer. It means that cancer is found only in the top layer of your skin. In its earliest stage, this skin cancer may be called any of the following:

• Squamous cell carcinoma in situ

• Bowen’s disease

• Stage 0 squamous cell carcinoma.

It’s possible to find squamous cell carcinoma in its earliest stage because skin cancer begins in the top layer of skin. Squamous cell carcinoma in situ is highly treatable.

What is invasive squamous cell carcinoma?

When squamous cell carcinoma grows beyond the top layer of skin, it’s called invasive squamous cell carcinoma.

Once invasive, it can burrow into deeper layers of the skin. While this cancer usually grows slowly, given time, it can reach nerves, muscle, fat, cartilage, and bone. Occasionally, it can spread to the lymph nodes and other organs.

What is well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma?

A well-differentiated cancer tends to grow and spread slowly. Well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma usually requires one treatment like surgical excision or Mohs surgery. With proper treatment, well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma has a good prognosis (outcome).

What is poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma?

A poorly differentiated cancer tends to grow and spread more quickly than a well-differentiated one. Poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma is considered more aggressive and often requires more than one treatment. For example, your dermatologist may remove it with surgical excision and then send you for radiation therapy.

What is aggressive squamous cell carcinoma?

Squamous cell carcinoma is labeled “aggressive” when it is more likely that the:

• Tumor will return after treatment.

• Cancer will spread.

Some people are more likely to develop aggressive squamous cell carcinoma. People who have a weakened immune system have a much greater risk. This risk is highest for people living with an organ transplant because they take medication to prevent their body from rejecting the organ. This medication weakens the system and keeps their body from fighting off the cancer. Other considerations, such as skin badly damaged by the sun, also increase this risk.

What is a Marjolin ulcer?

When skin cancer develops in a scar or wound, the cancer is called a Marjolin ulcer.

Marjolin ulcers are rare. When one develops, it usually forms within a scar caused by a burn. Skin cancer usually appears about 20 to 30 years after the scar forms. However, there are reports of skin cancer developing in a scar earlier.

Skin cancer can also develop in different types of wounds that won’t heal. Squamous cell carcinoma has been found in non-healing:

• Venous ulcers (open sores that develop on the lower legs due to poor blood circulation)

• Hidradenitis suppurativa wounds

• Epidermolysis bullosa wounds

• Pressure sores

How is squamous carcinoma treated?

When treating squamous cell carcinoma, the goal is to remove all the cancer. If the cancer hasn’t spread beyond the skin, your dermatologist or a Mohs surgeon will likely treat you. Dermatologists and Mohs surgeons have expertise in treating this cancer when it’s confined to the skin, and most patients are treated successfully.

If you have squamous cell carcinoma that has spread beyond the skin or is likely to spread, your dermatologist may collaborate with a team of doctors who specialize in treating cancer, such as a:

• Radiation oncologist (specializes in treating cancer with radiation therapy)

• Surgical oncologist (specializes in surgeries that treat cancer)

• Medical oncologist (specializes in treating cancer with medication)

This team approach helps you to get the care you need. Your dermatologist will assist with treatment planning, treat any skin-related side effects from treatment if they occur, and give you full-body skin exams after you finish treatment.

What are the treatments for squamous cell carcinoma?

Most squamous cell carcinomas are found early when they are highly treatable.

For most early skin cancers, surgery is the preferred treatment. When you have surgery before the cancer spreads beyond the skin, your dermatologist can often treat you during an office visit while you remain awake.

Here's information about surgeries and other treatments that dermatologists use to treat squamous cell carcinoma:

Surgery (excision)

This treatment takes place after the skin biopsy finds skin cancer. During surgical excision, your dermatologist removes the rest of the skin cancer tumor and some skin around the tumor.

What to expect during surgical excision

Most patients receive this treatment during an office visit and remain awake the entire time.

To begin this surgery, your dermatologist numbs the area to be treated. Next, your dermatologist cuts out the tumor along with an area of skin around it. Removing some surrounding skin helps to get rid of stray cancer cells.

The tumor and skin that your dermatologist removed will be sent to a lab. There a specially trained doctor, such as a dermatologist or dermatopathologist, will look at it under a microscope.

• If the doctor does not see cancer cells in the skin around the tumor, your treatment is complete.

• If cancer cells are found in the skin around the tumor, you will need more treatment.

Patients who need more treatment often receive another surgical excision. For some patients, another type of treatment may be more appropriate. Your dermatologist may recommend Mohs surgery, medication you apply to your skin to treat skin cancer, or radiation therapy.

When is surgical excision used to treat squamous cell carcinoma?

This surgery is widely used to treat squamous cell carcinoma. It’s often preferred for treating squamous cell carcinoma that:

• Appears only in the skin and has not grown into muscle or bone

• Has a low risk of spreading or returning after treatment

Surgical excision may also be part of a treatment plan for patients who have a tumor that is large, deep, or growing quickly. If excision cannot remove the entire tumor because of where it’s located, this surgery may be used to remove part of the tumor. This can make other treatments, such as radiation therapy, more effective.

Mohs surgery

Pronounced “moes,” this is a specialized surgery used only to treat skin cancer. It begins with the surgeon removing the tumor and a layer of skin around the tumor. The removed layer of skin is placed under a microscope, so the surgeon can look for cancer cells. Surgery continues until your Mohs surgeon no longer sees cancer cells.

What to expect during Mohs surgery

Mohs surgery is often performed by a board-certified dermatologist who has completed specialized training in Mohs surgery. Your dermatologist may have this training, or your dermatologist may refer you to another dermatologist who performs Mohs surgery.

Most patients remain awake during Mohs surgery, so surgery usually begins with your surgeon numbing the area to be treated. Once you’re numb, your Mohs surgeon removes the tumor they can see and a thin layer of surrounding skin.

While you wait, your Mohs surgeon will look at the thin layer of skin under a microscope. They are looking for cancer cells along the edges of the skin, which are often referred to as “margins.” If your surgeon sees cancer cells in the margins, they will remove another thin layer of skin from where cancer cells were seen. Your Mohs surgeon will again look for cancer cells under the microscope.

This process of removing a thin layer of skin and checking it for cancer continues until your surgeon no longer sees cancer cells under the microscope.

When is Mohs surgery used to treat squamous cell carcinoma?

This specialized surgery is especially helpful for treating squamous cell carcinoma that:

• Develops on an ear, eyelid, scalp, or hand, or develops near an eye or ear

• Has a border that’s difficult to see

• Returns after treatment

• Looks to be growing along a nerve or blood vessel

• Has an increased risk of returning after treatment or spreading

• Appears on skin previously treated with radiation therapy

How is the wound treated after excision or Mohs surgery?

You will have a wound after excision or Mohs surgery. Your dermatologist or Mohs surgeon will take care of this wound in one of the following three ways:

1. Let the wound heal on its own: This may be the most effective way to heal the area when:

   • The wound is small and shallow.
   • The wound is in an area where it will heal better without stitches, such as on an ear, eyelid, hand, or scalp.

2. Stitch the wound: After surgery, your dermatologist or Mohs surgeon may stitch the wound closed. Giving a patient stitches brings the edges of the wound together, which can help:

   • The wound heal more quickly.
   • Minimize the appearance of a scar.

3. Repair or reconstruct the area: Some wounds require your surgeon to surgically repair or reconstruct the area. Mohs surgeons are uniquely trained to repair and reconstruct wounds due to Mohs surgery.

At-home wound care: For any of these wounds, you’ll need to care for it at home. Your dermatologist or Mohs surgeon will explain what to do.

Electrodessication and curettage

This is a procedure that dermatologists use to treat some types of skin cancer. Electrodessication uses heat to destroy cancer cells. During curettage, dermatologists use a surgical tool called a curette to scrape away cancer cells.

What to expect during electrodessication and curettage

Patients receive this treatment during an office visit while they remain awake.

Each dermatologist has their own preferred method for performing this procedure. Some begin by using a curette to scrape away the visible cancer. They then destroy any remaining cancer cells by placing a device close to the skin so that electricity intensely heats the area.

This procedure can also begin with your dermatologist heating the skin and then scraping with the curette.

At the end of electrodesiccation and curettage, you may have some bleeding. To stop the bleeding, your dermatologist may treat the area with heat. Afterwards, your dermatologist will explain how to best care for the wound.

When performed by a doctor who is skilled in performing this procedure and who knows how to select the right patient, electrodesiccation and curettage can be an effective treatment for squamous cell carcinoma that has not grown too deeply.

When is electrodessication and curettage used to treat squamous cell carcinoma?

This can be an effective treatment for squamous cell carcinoma that:

• Is small

• Has not grown deeply

• Appears for the first time

• Has little risk of spreading or returning after treatment

• Appears on skin where hair grows sparsely, (e.g., not the scalp, an underarm, or beard area)

• Developed on the chest, abdomen, back, arm, or leg

Radiation therapy

This treatment uses radiation to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing.

What to expect during radiation therapy

Here’s how each type of radiation therapy is used to treat squamous cell carcinoma:

• Superficial radiation therapy: Beams of radiation are directed just beneath the skin, so it treats only the tumor.

• External beam radiation therapy: High-energy beams of radiation are sent into the tumor to kill cancer cells.

• Brachytherapy: Radioactive implants are placed inside (or near) the cancer. Also called internal radiation, this therapy is often used to treat prostate cancer.

With superficial radiation therapy, patients typically receive several treatments, given over multiple days or weeks. How you receive treatment will vary depending on where the squamous cell carcinoma is on your body. You may receive treatment from your dermatologist or a radiation oncologist (a doctor who specializes in treating cancer with radiation).

The other types of radiation are given by a radiation oncologist. They, too, are typically given over several weeks.

When is radiation therapy used?

There are different types of radiation therapy and many instances in which it may be prescribed. It can be used:

As a first treatment when:

• A patient cannot have surgery. (Sometimes, surgery cannot remove the cancer due to its location and other times, the risk of having surgery is too great for a patient.)

• Cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes.

As a second treatment when:

• Cancer cells remain after the first treatment.

• There is a high risk of cancer spreading.

To relieve pain or discomfort when:

• Cancer has grown deep or spread.

Cryosurgery

During this procedure, your dermatologist uses an extremely cold substance, usually liquid nitrogen, to freeze the cancer and some skin around the tumor. The goal is to have the tumor fall off after a few days.

What happens during cryosurgery?

You remain awake during the entire procedure.

To apply an extremely cold liquid, your dermatologist may either use a device that sprays the liquid onto the tumor or place a metal probe onto the tumor. Your dermatologist will treat the skin cancer tumor and some skin around the tumor.

After treatment, the treated area turns white and then red as it thaws. You may see crusting or a blister on your treated skin. This is normal and expected.

You will need to care for the area treated at home. This care will likely involve:

• Keeping the bandaged area dry for 24 hours.

• Removing the bandage and gently washing the wound every day as instructed.

• Applying petroleum jelly to prevent the wound from drying. This will help the wound heal more quickly.

• Not picking at the crusting.

Some patients need more than one cryosurgery treatment session. Your dermatologist may also use a procedure called curettage to help remove cancer cells. Curettage involves using a surgical tool called a curette to scrape away cancer cells.

When is cryosurgery used to treat squamous cell carcinoma?

This procedure is only considered as a treatment for squamous cell carcinoma:

• In the earliest stage (cancer found only in the top layer of skin)

• That’s small

• Unlikely to return after treatment or spread

• When more effective treatment, such as surgical excision, is not an option (due to the location of the cancer or risk of having surgery)

Photodynamic therapy

This treatment involves applying medication to the cancer and some skin around it. After a prescribed amount of time, the treated area is exposed to light, such as red or blue light. This combination of medication and light can destroy cancer cells.

What happens during photodynamic therapy?

Your dermatologist can perform this treatment during an office visit while you remain awake.

Treatment begins with cleansing of the area to be treated. Next, a medication that makes skin more sensitive to the light is applied to the area. You’ll keep this medication on for a prescribed amount of time, usually 30 to 90 minutes.

After the medication sits on the skin for the prescribed amount of time, the skin treated with the medication is exposed to a special light.

When is photodynamic therapy used to treat squamous cell carcinoma?

It’s used:

• When a patient cannot have surgery and has a small tumor that has a low risk of returning after treatment

When photodynamic therapy is part of a treatment plan, your dermatologist prescribes several sessions.

Is there medication that can prevent squamous cell carcinoma from returning?

Yes, there is medication that can reduce the risk of this skin cancer returning. Medication may be an option, but only for some patients who have a high risk of squamous cell carcinoma returning.

If you have a high risk of squamous cell carcinoma returning, your dermatologist or care team will do more than prescribe medication. Here’s what care for a patient with a high risk often involves.

Your dermatologist or another doctor on your care team may:

• Prescribe radiation therapy: If you’ve had surgery to remove the cancer, having radiation therapy afterward can help kill remaining cancer cells. This can reduce the risk of the cancer returning.

• Consider prescribing immunotherapy medication: This medication works with your immune system. One medication, cemiplimab, is FDA-approved to treat adults who have been treated for squamous cell carcinoma with both surgery and radiation and have a high risk of the skin cancer coming back. Due to possible side effects, your doctor will carefully weigh the risks and benefits before prescribing this medication. This medication isn’t right for everyone.

  • Brand name: Libtayo

If you have a high risk of squamous cell carcinoma returning, you can help find it early when it’s most treatable. To find returning skin cancer early:

• Perform skin self-exams as often as your dermatologist recommends: It’s essential to find returning skin cancer quickly and treat it appropriately. For this reason, you will be taught how to examine your skin. If you have advanced squamous cell carcinoma, you will also be taught how to examine lymph nodes near your scar.

  When squamous cell carcinoma returns, it can develop on or near the scar left by surgery to remove the cancer. It can appear in a lymph node.

  Contact your dermatologist right away (don’t wait until your next appointment) if you:

  • See anything that is growing or changing on or near the scar left by surgery, such as a lump, bump, or sore
  • Feel a lump in or near a lymph node or a swollen lymph node

• Keep all appointments with your dermatologist and other doctors: During your dermatology appointments, your dermatologist will carefully check the scar left by surgery, feel lymph nodes near the scar, and ask about your symptoms.

  How often you’ll need to see your dermatologist varies. Immediately after treatment, some patients come in once every three months or monthly.

• Get all required imaging, such as an ultrasound or CT scan, and testing. These can show signs of cancer than cannot be seen during an exam.

Keep in mind that if squamous cell carcinoma comes back, it can be treated. Knowing what to look for and keeping all your appointments can help you find returning skin cancer early.

What causes squamous cell carcinoma?

For most people, the cause is too much sun. People who seldom protect their skin from the sun when outdoors develop this skin cancer. Tanning beds and other indoor tanning devices like sunlamps are another cause. Both the sun and indoor tanning devices give off ultraviolet (UV) rays that damage the skin and can cause skin cancer.

Are some people more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma?

Yes. You’re more likely to develop this skin cancer if you:

• Spend time outdoors and seldom protect your skin from the sun.

• Use indoor tanning equipment (such as tanning beds, sun lamps).

• Have a light skin tone, along with light-colored eyes and naturally red or blond hair.

• Sunburn easily and have had sunburns, especially blistering ones as a child or adolescent.

• Work outdoors.

• Are living with a solid organ transplant, such as a heart, liver, or kidney.

Age plays a role

Many people who develop this skin cancer are 60 years of age or older. The damage from spending time outdoors without sun protection usually builds up over years. However, if you use indoor tanning equipment, you can develop squamous cell carcinoma years — or decades — earlier.

People of all skin tones develop this skin cancer

People who have a light skin tone along with light-colored eyes and naturally red or blonde hair are most likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma. However, people of all skin tones can develop this skin cancer, and it is the most common type of skin cancer that people who have a darker skin tone develop.

In patients with darker skin, this skin cancer may develop on either skin that gets lots of sun or skin that gets little to no sun.

Some skin conditions increase your risk

If you have one of the following skin conditions, you have an increased risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma:

• Actinic keratosis: This is a precancerous skin growth. Sometimes, it becomes squamous cell carcinoma.

• Previous skin cancer: If you’ve had skin cancer before, you have a greater risk of developing another skin cancer.

• Scar due to an injury, especially a burn: While research as to why this happens is ongoing, squamous cell carcinoma is known to develop inside a scar.

• A non-healing wound, such as from hidradenitis suppurativa or epidermolysis bullosa: Wounds caused by these skin conditions can last months or years. Having a non-healing wound for a long time increases the risk of developing squamous cell skin cancer.

• Xeroderma pigmentosum or epidermolysis bullosa: With xeroderma pigmentosum, the body cannot protect itself from UV light, so people with this rare condition often develop many skin cancers. Patients with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa can develop more aggressive squamous cell carcinomas, which can make it difficult to treat the cancer successfully.

Squamous cell carcinoma: Key takeaways

• Squamous cell carcinoma is a common type of skin cancer.

• Found early, squamous cell carcinoma is highly treatable.

• Common early signs of this skin cancer include a rough and scaly patch on your skin, a dome-shaped growth, and a spot that looks like a sore.

• Waiting to get care gives squamous cell carcinoma time to grow, which can make treatment more difficult.

• If you’re wondering if a spot or growth on your skin could be skin cancer, make an appointment to see a board-certified dermatologist.

• Dermatologists are experts in diagnosing and treating squamous cell carcinoma.

Related AAD resources

• Pictures of squamous cell carcinoma: See different ways this skin cancer can appear on the skin.

• Squamous cell carcinoma: Outcome and life after treatment: Find out why most patients have a good outcome and what dermatologists tell their patients after treatment.

• Advanced squamous cell carcinoma treatment: Learn what advanced means and about newer treatments that are giving patients hope.

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