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Where is the most common site for squamous cell carcinoma?

Squamous 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.

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Overview

Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin Open pop-up dialog box Close Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin Sun-exposed areas such as the lips and ears are especially likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. Squamous 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.

Symptoms

Squamous 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:

A firm, red nodule

A flat sore with a scaly crust

A new sore or raised area on an old scar or ulcer

A rough, scaly patch on your lip that may evolve to an open sore

A red sore or rough patch inside your mouth

A red, raised patch or wartlike sore on or in the anus or on your genitals

When to see a doctor

Make 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. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form. Get Mayo Clinic cancer expertise delivered to your inbox. 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. I would like to learn more about Up-to-date cancer news & research Mayo Clinic cancer care & management options ErrorSelect a topic Email address ErrorEmail field is required ErrorInclude a valid email address Subscribe Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use of data. 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. Thank you for subscribing Your in-depth coping with cancer guide will be in your inbox shortly. You will also receive emails from Mayo Clinic on the latest about cancer news, research, and care. If you don’t receive our email within 5 minutes, check your SPAM folder, then contact us at newsletters@mayoclinic.com. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry

Causes

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Where skin cancer develops Open pop-up dialog box Close Where skin cancer develops Where skin cancer develops Skin cancer begins in the cells that make up the outer layer (epidermis) of your skin. One type of skin cancer called basal cell carcinoma begins in the basal cells, which make skin cells that continuously push older cells toward the surface. As new cells move upward, they become flattened squamous cells, where a skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma can occur. Melanoma, another type of skin cancer, arises in the pigment cells (melanocytes). Squamous 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 factors

Factors that may increase your risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin include: Fair skin. Anyone, regardless of skin color, can get squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. However, having less pigment (melanin) in your skin provides less protection from damaging UV radiation. If you have blond or red hair and light-colored eyes and you freckle or sunburn easily, you're much more likely to develop skin cancer, including squamous cell carcinoma, than is a person with darker skin. Excessive sun exposure. Being exposed to UV light from the sun increases your risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. Spending lots of time in the sun — particularly if you don't cover your skin with clothing or sunblock — increases your risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin even more. Being exposed to light from the sun increases your risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. Spending lots of time in the sun — particularly if you don't cover your skin with clothing or sunblock — increases your risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin even more. Use of tanning beds. People who use indoor tanning beds have an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. People who use indoor tanning beds have an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. A history of sunburns. Having had one or more blistering sunburns as a child or teenager increases your risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma of the skin as an adult. Sunburns in adulthood also are a risk factor. Having had one or more blistering sunburns as a child or teenager increases your risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma of the skin as an adult. Sunburns in adulthood also are a risk factor. A personal history of precancerous skin lesions. Having a precancerous skin lesion, such as actinic keratosis or Bowen's disease, increases your risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.

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Having a precancerous skin lesion, such as actinic keratosis or Bowen's disease, increases your risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. A personal history of skin cancer. If you've had squamous cell carcinoma of the skin once, you're much more likely to develop it again. If you've had squamous cell carcinoma of the skin once, you're much more likely to develop it again. Weakened immune system . People with weakened immune systems have an increased risk of skin cancer. This includes people who have leukemia or lymphoma and those who take medications that suppress the immune system, such as those who have undergone organ transplants. . People with weakened immune systems have an increased risk of skin cancer. This includes people who have leukemia or lymphoma and those who take medications that suppress the immune system, such as those who have undergone organ transplants. Rare genetic disorder. People with xeroderma pigmentosum, which causes an extreme sensitivity to sunlight, have a greatly increased risk of developing skin cancer.

Complications

Untreated 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:

Is particularly large or deep

Involves the mucous membranes, such as the lips

Occurs in a person with a weakened immune system, such as someone who takes anti-rejection medications after an organ transplant or someone who has chronic leukemia

Prevention

Most squamous cell carcinomas of the skin can be prevented. To protect yourself:

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