Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Chapter 1
Introduction
Background and Rationale of the Study
Before we dig further with how the student nurse and patient relationship went through, let us first answer this question: What is Squamous Cell Carcinoma?
Squamous Cell Carcinoma is the second most common form of nonmelanoma skin cancer following basal cell carcinoma. It rarely causes further problems when caught and treated early. Untreated, squamous cell carcinoma can grow large or spread to other parts of your body, causing serious complications.
The incidence of skin cancers is rising every year, likely due to increased sun exposure. Most squamous cell carcinomas result from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, either from sunlight or from tanning beds or lamps.
Incidence of squamous cell carcinoma varies with age, gender, race, geography, and genetics. Males are affected with SCC at a ratio of 2:1 in comparison to females. Caucasians are more likely to be affected, especially those with fair Celtic skin, if chronically exposed to UV radiation. Incidence among Caucasians in the US is .1-.15% per year. This increases with age and the peak incidence of this skin cancer is at 66 years. There are also a few rare congenital diseases that predispose to cutaneous malignancy. In certain geographic locations, exposure to arsenic in well water or from industrial sources may significantly increase the risk of SCC. (Atkins, 2006)
Squamous cell carcinomas are usually slow growing and can be difficult to spot, especially when they appear on skin that has other signs of sun damage, such as changes in pigmentation, loss of elasticity and wrinkling. They can also be mistaken for actinic keratoses — rough, scaly, dark brown or pink patches that appear after years of sun exposure. A small number of actinic keratoses eventually develop into squamous cell carcinomas.
Older individuals who have fair skin, light hair, and blue, green, or gray eyes are at the highest risk. People with occupations...