Squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma is a cancer arising from squamous epithelial cells, which form thin, flat layers lining or covering many body surfaces. Its behavior and treatment depend on the tissue where it develops.

Squamous epithelium: A tissue made of one or more layers of flat cells that line or cover body surfaces. This cancer begins in the squamous cells that make up this tissue.
Carcinogenesis: The multistep process by which normal cells acquire changes that enable malignant growth. Mutations and other changes can turn squamous cells into malignant clones.
Skin cancer: A group of cancers that begin in the skin, including melanoma and several nonmelanoma types. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is one of the major nonmelanoma skin cancers.
Basal-cell carcinoma: A common skin cancer arising from basal cells of the epidermis or its appendages. It is another keratinocyte cancer, usually with lower metastatic potential than cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
Carcinoma: A malignant tumor arising from epithelial cells, which line surfaces and form glands. Squamous cell carcinoma is a subtype defined by its epithelial cell of origin.
Invasion (oncology): The penetration of cancer cells into surrounding tissue beyond their original boundary. Invasion distinguishes invasive squamous cell carcinoma from in-situ disease.
Cervical cancer: Cancer of the cervix, most commonly arising from its squamous or glandular epithelial cells. Squamous cell carcinoma is a major histological type of cervical cancer.
Adenocarcinoma: A carcinoma whose cells form glands or produce gland-associated secretions. It contrasts with squamous carcinoma by its glandular rather than squamous differentiation.
Keratinocyte: A predominant cell type in the epidermis that produces the structural protein keratin. Cutaneous cases commonly arise from epidermal keratinocytes with squamous differentiation.
Metastasis: The spread of cancer cells from a primary tumor to distant sites in the body. Advanced tumors can spread through lymphatic channels or blood vessels.

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