squamous cell carcinoma

(noun)

a cancer of squamous cell epithelial tissue.

Related Terms

Examples of squamous cell carcinoma in the following topics:

  • Skin Cancer

    • The three main types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma (the most common of all cancers), squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
    • Each type is named after the skin cell from which it arises.
    • Basal cell carcinoma usually presents as a raised, smooth, pearly bump on the sun-exposed skin of the head, neck, or shoulders.
    • Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is commonly a red, scaling, thickened patch on sun-exposed skin.
    • The mortality rate of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma is around 0.3%, causing two thousand deaths per year in the U.S.

  • Sun Damage, Sunscreen, and Sunblock

    • The use of sunscreen is known to prevent the direct DNA damage that causes sunburn and the two most common forms of skin cancer, basal-cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

  • Cervical Cancer

    • Cervical cancer is the term for a malignant neoplasm arising from cells originating in the cervix uteri.
    • Most cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, arising in the squamous (flattened) epithelial cells that line the cervix.
    • Adenocarcinoma, arising in glandular epithelial cells is the second most common type.
    • Very rarely, cancer can arise in other types of cells in the cervix.
    • This large squamous carcinoma (bottom of picture) has obliterated the cervix and invaded the lower uterine segment.

  • Lung Cancer

    • The main types of lung cancer are small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), also called oat cell cancer, and non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).
    • There are three main sub-types: squamous cell lung carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell lung carcinoma.
    • Accounting for 25% of lung cancers, squamous cell lung carcinoma usually starts near a central bronchus.
    • Well-differentiated squamous cell lung cancers often grow more slowly than other cancer types.
    • Damage to chromosomes 3p, 5q, 13q, and 17p are particularly common in small-cell lung carcinoma.

  • Tonsils

    • For example, the adenoids and tubal tonsils are covered with the ciliated psuedostratified columnar epithelium of the nasopharynx, while the palatine and lingual tonsils are made up of the non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium of the oropharynx.
    • They contain specialized M cells that collect antigens produced by respiratory tract pathogens.
    • Captured antigens are presented to B and T cells within the tonsil, then the B cells migrate to germinal centers within the tonsil as an adaptive immune response is initiated.
    • Squamous cell carcinomas (epithelial tumor) and lymphomas (lymphocyte tumor) can also develop in the tonsillar tissue, and removal is a key treatment.
    • Epidemiological studies show no significant change in immune system function in those that have a tonsillectomy, but minor increases in helper T cell levels and minor decreases in IgA levels (an antibody produced by B cells) were observed.

  • Immunotherapy for Cancer

    • Cell-based immunotherapy is another major entity of cancer immunotherapy.
    • This involves immune cells such as the natural killer cells (NK cells), lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAK cells), cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), and dendritic cells (DC).
    • Adoptive cell-based immunotherapy involves isolating either allogenic or autologous immune cells, enriching them outside the body, and transfusing them back to the patient.
    • The injected immune cells are highly cytotoxic to the cancer cells and so help to fight them.
    • Topical immunotherapy utilizes an immune enhancement cream (imiquimod), which is an interferon producer, causing the patient's own killer T cells to destroy warts, actinic keratoses, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous T cell lymphoma, and superficial spreading melanoma.

  • Laryngitis and Cancer of the Larynx

    • Laryngeal cancer may also be called cancer of the larynx or laryngeal carcinoma.
    • Most laryngeal cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, reflecting their origin from the squamous cells which form the majority of the laryngeal epithelium.

  • Metastasis Through Lymphatic Vessels

    • This is the most common route of metastasis for carcinomas.
    • This is the most common route of metastasis for carcinomas.
    • Haematogenous spread: This is typical route of metastasis for sarcomas, but it is also the favored route for certain types of carcinoma, (e.g., renal cell carcinoma).
    • Micrograph showing a lymph node invaded by ductal breast carcinoma and with extranodal extension of tumour.
    • Surrounding the lymphocytes and extending into the surrounding fat (top of image) is ductal breast carcinoma.

  • Types of Epithelial Tissue

    • Epithelial tissue is classified by cell shape and the number of cell layers.
    • For example, simple squamous epithelial tissue describes a single layer of cells that are flat and scale-like in shape.
    • Simple squamous epithelium cells are flat in shape and arranged in a single layer.
    • Stratified epithelia can be columnar, cuboidal, or squamous type.
    • Squamous epithelium has cells that are wider than they are tall.

  • Epithelial Tissues

    • The types of epithelia are classified by the shapes of cells present and the number of layers of cells.
    • Squamous epithelial cells are generally round, flat, and have a small, centrally-located nucleus .
    • The cell outline is slightly irregular; cells fit together to form a covering or lining.
    • When the cells are arranged in a single layer (simple squamous epithelia), they facilitate diffusion in tissues, such as the areas of gas exchange in the lungs or the exchange of nutrients and waste at blood capillaries.
    • Squamous epithelia cells (a) have a slightly-irregular shape and a small, centrally-located nucleus.