Posted on 07/30/2025 10:06:34 AM PDT by DallasBiff
Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is a type of cancer that starts as a growth of cells on the skin. It starts in cells called squamous cells. The squamous cells make up the middle and outer layers of the skin. Squamous cell carcinoma is a common type of skin cancer.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is usually not life-threatening. But if it's not treated, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin can grow large or spread to other parts of the body. The growth of the cancer can cause serious complications.
Most squamous cell carcinomas of the skin are caused by too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UV radiation comes either from sunlight or from tanning beds or lamps. Protecting your skin from UV light can help reduce the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin and other forms of skin cancer.
Squamous cell carcinomas can be anywhere on the skin. In people who sunburn easily, the cancer is usually found on areas of skin that have had a lot of sun. In people with Black and brown skin, squamous cell carcinomas are more likely to be on skin that isn't exposed to sun, such as the genitals.
(Excerpt) Read more at mayoclinic.org ...
Just heard from my friend, who had what looked like a big freaking wart on his back, that it does seem not malignant from a dermatologist he saw yesterday.
He grew up in California, where the sun always shines, while I grew up in the Pittsburgh area where the sun wouldn't shine for 9 months out of the year.
Pray for him and his health.
I had one of these on an ear lobe and had it surgically removed in 2013. The Red Cross let me keep donating blood without any waiting period. I have never used tanning beds and don’t spend a lot of time in the sun.
My poor brother in law who is dealing with oral cancer, just had a big squamous lesion show up on his nose. Really hoping that this isn’t a sign of the cancer spreading.
Accurate description. I’ve had two. They come up fast and grow fast. Dermatologist removed both on first look, no reschedule for surgery.
For many of us, the only time we work a hat as a kid was when playing baseball, and the only thing you put on your skin was “suntan oil” to make it browner. Years of UV exposure later, some cells with cooked DNA kick in and we get skin cancers. Fortunately mostly basal cell, but squamous too.
Every time I see my dermatologist he finds something to freeze ;-) And it seems, something for the knife too.
The more the population uses sunscreen, the more skin cancer there is. On a line graph, there is a direct correlation.
Correlation does not imply causation
Funny, I had a wart like growth on the back of my hand, doc bi-opsied it last week and just called me to let me know it was squamous, surgery scheduled in a couple weeks.
Bkmk
I had a squamous cell carcinoma on my nose several years ago. Doc took it off in the office then did a skin graft to replace the skin. Took the skin from my shoulder for the graft.
When I was a kid many moons ago, I had a big a$$ wart on my hand and a plantars wart on the heel of my foot, which hurted like hell.
The doctor electrically burned both of them, the plantars wart went away, the hand wart came back with a vengence.
I recently had a nasty squamous cell carcinoma on my nose treated with a low-dose radiation gizmo called IG-SRT. Twenty treatments, each one lasting just a few seconds. Now, all gone. I don’t know how widely available this treatment is.
My brother had one removed from his back 15 years ago & it came back a year or so ago after spreading to his spine, brain, bones and liver. Its a tough cancer to treat and you need to see a dermatologist every year, which I have done for the past 15-20 years now.
I was diagnosed with mouth cancer on January 11 of this year. Quit smoking the next day. Had surgery on 12 February. Surgeon took the small tumor at the base of my tongue and mouth floor, right tonsil, and 36 lymph nodes on the right side of my neck. All the nodes were negative for cancer. Doing good now. No radiation or chemo needed.
Mouth cancer is also squamous cell carcinoma.
I have had squamous cell, basal and melanoma cancers. All were surgically removed, no chemo or radiation. My last cancer surgery was in 1995 and I have been taking Ivermectin on and off since then.
I pray that your friend will be so fortunate.
I’m light-complexioned with blue eyes. I’ve been seeing a dermatologist every six months for the past five years. At 68, skin issues from a lifetime of sun exposure is catching up with me. Nothing serious yet, but minor localized skin cancer removed every so often.
I’m glad your cancer was resolved. That’s scary stuff. My BIL wasn’t so lucky - I think he let it go on too long before getting treatment. He lost the inside of his right cheek and ended up having flap reconstruction surgery. Lost some lymph nodes too. They said they couldn’t get all of the cancer, so they tried radiation but he couldn’t tolerate it. He’s never recovered from the surgery - can only open his mouth about 1/2”. Has been on a feeding tube for the last year (although he can still eat some things), and recently had a pain pump installed. To top it off, he just had his prostate removed.
Sorry to hear about your BIL.
Early detection is key. I felt something in my mouth, pushed on it with my finger. It hurt. Off I went to get it checked out.
You keep right on wiping carcinogens on your skin to your heart’s content to protect you from nature.
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