Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin T1-T4N0M0

Squamous cell carcinoma (epidermoid carcinoma) is a malignant tumor of skin and mucous membranes. It develops as a result of carcinogen exposure (tar, creosote, oil products, tobacco tars), human papilloma viruses 16, 18, 31,33, 35, 45, after radiation and chemotherapy, after warty form of lichen ruber planus and discoid lupus erythematosus. Unlike basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma can have metastases into lymph nodes. The most frequent metastases in lymph nodes develop from squamous cell carcinoma localized in the area of the under lip, auricle, penis (10-20%).Squamous cell carcinoma can develop in the site of exposure to close-focus roentgenotherapy 10-35 years later; it develops metastases in 20-30%.

Squamous cell carcinoma is distinguished histologically as that with keratinization and non-keratinizing carcinoma.

The forms are divided according to clinical characteristics: exophytic form of squamous cell carcinoma or papillary carcinoma which grows mostly above the skin and mucosa surfaces and endophytic or infiltrative-ulcerating form which grows into the sub-tissues. This form has a more aggressive growth and more frequent metastases.

Conventional treatment of squamous cell carcinoma – close-focus roentgenotherapy (CFR) and surgical excision – has a number of negative consequences and at present it is not recommended as primary choice of treatment for this disease.  Photodynamic therapy (PDT) should be suggested as the optimal method of treatment.  PDT provides radical removal of the tumor and it has a highly selective effect with no damage of the healthy tissues.  That is especially important if the tumor localizes on the lip, auricle, wings of the nose, eye orbit where conventional treatment could not be fulfilled or leads to marked deformity.

We recommend to see the whole photo gallery of clinical example cases in the section PHOTO BEFORE AND AFTER.