SCC/Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Symptoms

  • Rough or scaly red patches, which might crust or bleed
  • Raised growths or lumps, sometimes with a lower area in the center
  • Open sores (which may have oozing or crusted areas) that don’t heal, or that heal and then come back
  • Wart-like growths
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
About Ann McKenna Image

Surgery

  • Biopsy under local anaesthetic
  • Excision of the area and an amount of normal skin, to reduce the chance it might come back, under local or general anaesthetic (depending on size)
  • Reconstruction with a skin graft or local tissue that is moved into the area of the excision
  • A lymph node biopsy if required by the laboratory analysis of your cancer

After Care

  • Leave all the dressings intact until the stitches are removed by your GP
  • Do not shower for 48 hours
  • No exercise or heavy housework for 48 hours as this will cause bleeding
  • Take simple over the counter pain relief like Paracetamol or Nurofen for 48 hours or more for any discomfort
  • If the tapes get wet, dry them with a hair dryer
Different types of Sutures and Stitches Diagram