Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a skin cancer that may appear as a bump or as a red scaly patch that may bleed easily.  Most develop out of an actinic keratosis (rough scaly precancerous spot).  The treatment for SCC depends on the type and location of the lesion.  For most SCC the treatment would be an excision or Mohs surgery.  An excision is a procedure where the SCC is cut out and then stitched up.  Mohs surgery is a specialized microscopically controlled surgical technique that removed the entire tumor and only the tumor; it also has the highest cure rate.  Early treatment of SCC makes treatment easier, so learn the signs of skin cancer and check your own skin once each month. The best way to avoid skin cancers is to protect the skin from further sum damage.