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Home Topics A–Z Squamous cell carcinoma dermoscopy
Author: Naomi Ashman, Dermoscopist, Torbay Skin, Auckland, New Zealand; DermNet New Zealand Editor in Chief, Adjunct A/Prof Amanda Oakley, Dermatologist, Hamilton, New Zealand. Copy edited by Gus Mitchell. Created 2019.
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is a common type of keratinocytic or nonmelanoma skin cancer. It is commonly found on sun-exposed areas of skin. It can be invasive and metastasise. It is also known as cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, and commonly abbreviated to SCC.
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma presents clinically as an enlarging, irregular, keratinous nodule or a firm erythematous plaque that frequently ulcerates.
They usually arise within pre-existing actinic keratosis or intraepidermal carcinoma.
The common dermoscopic features of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma are:
White structureless areas and white circles in squamous cell carcinoma dermoscopy White circles in squamous cell carcinoma dermoscopy White circles and surface keratin seen in squamous cell carcinoma dermoscopy White structures and surface keratin in squamous cell carcinoma dermoscopy Loop vessels seen in squamous cell carcinoma dermoscopy White structureless areas and central keratin in squamous cell carcinoma dermoscopy White structureless areas and surface keratin in squamous cell carcinoma dermoscopy White structureless areas, central keratin and loop vessels in squamous cell carcinoma dermoscopy Poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma dermoscopy
Pigmented cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma has brown, blue or grey areas.
The dermoscopic differential diagnosis of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma includes its variants:
Other conditions to consider include:
Intraepidermal carcinoma dermoscopy Macro image of a cutaneous horn Actinic keratosis dermoscopy Keratoacanthoma dermoscopy Keratoacanthoma dermoscopy Verruca vulgaris dermoscopy Verruca vulgaris dermoscopy Macro image of chromoblastomycosis Chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis dermoscopy Basal cell carcinoma dermoscopy Amelanotic melanoma, Breslow 3.2mm, CL IV dermoscopy Amelanotic melanoma dermoscopy
Histologically, there is a proliferation of atypical keratinocytes within the dermis.
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