Squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), one of the most common malignant neoplasms in fair-skinned individuals, classically presents as a pink to red scaly papule or plaque that at times can be difficult to distinguish clinically from other skin lesions, such as basal cell carcinomas, irritated seborrheic keratoses, lichen planus-like keratoses, or inflammatory skin diseases like psoriasis. Pigmented SCC clinically presents as a variegated brown papule or plaque with variable amounts of scale and can be confused with superficial spreading melanoma [1]. Dermoscopy can aid in the correct diagnosis when characteristic features of SCC such as vessels as dots or coiled (glomerular) vessels and a scaly surface are present; however, significant surface scale can obscure the vascular structures [2–5].