Fact-sheet: Epidermoid carcinoma of the skin
- Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
Updated on 09/27/2024 at 9:03 AM
View all RADEOS cases associated with this fact-sheet
Definition
Cutaneous carcinoma arising from the spinous cell layer of the epidermis.
Clinical features
Second most common cutaneous carcinoma after basal cell carcinoma, accounting for approximately 10% of skin cancers.
Preferentially occurs on sun-exposed areas, old burn scars, or chronic ulcers.
Imaging to be performed in the presence of poor prognostic factors:
- diameter >20 mm
- location on the lip, ear, or temple
- thickness >6 mm or invasion beyond the hypodermis or bone involvement
- poor differentiation, desmoplasia, perineural invasion
- immunosuppression
- positive surgical margins
Ultrasound
Lymph node ultrasound of the 2 draining sites downstream from the carcinoma, or of all cervical nodal areas if located on the head
Search for subcutaneous secondary lesions: infiltrative hypodermal mass, poorly defined, mildly hypoechoic, poorly vascularized
CT
Chest CT to look for metastases, the appearance of which is variable
Metastases to other organs are very rare in the absence of thoracic metastasis
MRI
Preoperative MRI in cases of complex resection: assessment of locoregional invasion. T1 hyposignal, T2 hypersignal, marked enhancement after injection. Necrotic areas are frequent.