Squamous Cell Carcinoma: From Diagnosis to Prognosis

7. Low-Risk and high-risk squamous cell carcinoma

Dermatologists diagnose low-risk SCC if bumps or lesions are small, superficial, and have well-defined edges. Removal of these growths typically involves topical chemotherapy or excisions performed in-office. High-risk SCC lesions exceed two centimeters and affect the ears, lips, nose, or eyelids. They have a higher potential for spreading (metastasizing) than low-risk SCC. Lesions that extend deeper into the skin (more than 4 mm), those that invade the underlying nerves, and ones located near the parotid gland are also often classified as high risk. People who have a suppressed immune system are also at higher risk of the tumor spreading.