Squamous cell carcinoma is not the most well-known disease, but unfortunately, it is no less dangerous from this. Like any oncology, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin needs to be treated intensively and as soon as possible. Naturally, you can start treatment in time, only knowing how the disease manifests itself. On the characteristics of squamous cell carcinoma and we will talk further.
Causes and symptoms of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
To begin with, it should be clarified that squamous cell carcinoma is a malignant tumor. This kind of oncology develops from the middle layer of the skin. This kind of cancer of the epidermis is considered a rare disease.
Usually squamous cell carcinoma develops on those parts of the body that are most often exposed to sunlight. But this does not mean that oncology can not appear on mucous membranes. Often the disease develops in places of burns or injuries. Sometimes squamous cell carcinoma of the skin appears even in those areas of the skin that have been affected by the sun for a long time.
Among the main causes of cancer development include the following:
- human papillomavirus ;
- heredity and genetic predisposition;
- chronic inflammation and others.
Most often squamous cell skin cancer appears on the skin of the face, nose, upper lip. In the initial stages, a malignant tumor is a small solid formation on the skin. Due to the fact that this education is often painless, they are neglected, losing valuable time. The color of the tumor in most cases does not differ from the natural shade of the skin, in rare cases can take a pink tinge.
As a rule, the skin in the affected area remains smooth, but in some cases it can become crusted. Most patients start to sound an alarm when they notice that the growth is growing too fast. During growth, the color of the tumor changes, becomes bright red or brown.
Squamous cell carcinoma can be horny and nonkerberry. The latter is considered more dangerous. In both cases, cancer cells look atypical, that is, differ in size, shape, composition of nuclei. With keratinized cancer, cells can still cornify, which causes seals in the skin, so-called pearls. At neerogovevayuschey form of the disease atypia cells expressed much more.
Diagnosis and treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
In order for the diagnosis to be accurate, a number of skin examinations taken from the affected area should be performed. A professional to detect cancer cells in this case is easy enough.
Treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin can be as follows:
- Surgical removal of the tumor. This method is considered the most effective. Often, the operation is under general anesthesia, but sometimes doctors also resort to conductive anesthesia.
- Local chemotherapy is a method of using a special cream.
- Removal of tumors with liquid nitrogen - cryodestruction.
In this way it is recommended to remove malignant neoplasms of small size. - Another effective method of treatment - laser destruction or radiation therapy . Best of all, this method showed itself in the treatment of cancer in the early stages.
It should be noted that the prognosis for squamous cell carcinoma is quite optimistic. Patients with the first and second stage of the disease are cured in almost 90% of cases. Relapses, unfortunately, also happen, but as practice shows, most often large tumors (reaching two or more centimeters in diameter) returned to the face are returned.