AMERISKIN ®

www.ameriskin.com

"Bringing Personalized Skin Care to the People of America"

Home	About Us	Melanoma	Squamous Cell Cancer	Basal Cell Cancer	Pre-Cancers
Skin Screening	Notification	Consent	Database	Referrals	Links

SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

Cancer that begins in squamous cells, which are thin, flat cells that look like fish scales. Squamous cells are found in the tissue that forms the surface of the skin, the lining of the hollow organs of the body, and the passages of the respiratory and digestive tracts. Also called epidermoid carcinoma.

Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are generally diagnosed and treated in the same way. When an area of skin does not look normal, the doctor may remove all or part of the growth. This is called a biopsy. To check for cancer cells, the tissue is examined under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy is the only sure way to tell if the problem is cancer.

Doctors generally divide skin cancer into two stages: local (affecting only the skin) or metastatic (spreading beyond the skin). Because skin cancer rarely spreads, a biopsy often is the only test needed to determine the stage. In cases where the growth is very large or has been present for a long time, the doctor will carefully check the lymph nodes in the area. In addition, the patient may need to have additional tests, such as special x-rays, to find out whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Knowing the stage of a skin cancer helps the doctor plan the best treatment.

AMERISKIN ® is a public-private effort in healthcare services related to educating Americans about proper skin care as well as the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions, including skin cancers. If you undergo a skin biopsy, the skin specimen may be sent to AMERISKIN ® for processing, evaluation, diagnosis, and inclusion in its database.

For more information about our services or to send skin biopsies to us, contact

AMERISKIN ®

500 West Leota Street Suite 200
North Platte, Nebraska 69101

Byron L. Barksdale, M.D.
Phone: 308-532-4700

© Copyright, 2003-2009 Healthy Nebraska, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.