NCCN News
Journal: Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2019)

Common Type of Skin CancerNCCN has published a new book of patient information that explains prevention, diagnosis and treatment for squamous cell skin cancer-the secondmost common skin cancer (after basal cell cancer).Squamous cell and basal cell skin cancers are responsible for approximately 5 million annual incidents of nonmelanoma skin cancer in the United States, 1 making them more prevalent than all other types of cancer combined. 2Incidence rates have been rising for squamous cell skin cancer in recent years, particularly in younger people. 3The new booklet, NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Squamous Cell Skin Cancer, is endorsed by the Save Your Skin Foundation, and made possible by funding through the NCCN Foundation.The guidelines are available to view and download free-of-charge at NCCN.org/patients, or via the NCCN Patient Guides for Cancer App."When people are first diagnosed with squamous cell skin cancer, many of them confuse it for melanoma, or think it could turn into melanoma," explained Chrysalyne D. Schmults, MD, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, and Member of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) Panel for Squamous Cell Skin Cancer."The information contained in these guidelines helps clarify that this is an entirely different tumor.Instead of appearing like a brown spot or changing mole, these tumors usually look more like a persistent bump.Thankfully, the vast majority can be fully cured by an in-office removal procedure.""The NCCN Guidelines for Patients tackle complex information in a readable manner, making them an invaluable resource for people with cancer, as well as their caregivers and family members," said Ken Braun, Project Benefits Specialist, Employers Health, and Squamous Cell Skin Cancer Survivor."Squamous cell skin cancer was my second cancer diagnosis.After my physician first said I had cancer, I remembered very little during the rest of the exam.A friend sent me the NCCN Guidelines for Patients for my original cancer, which was the best resource for current, accurate information I have found.It gave me and my wife a measure of comfort and confidence, plus the ability to have meaningful discussions with my physicians about treatment and recovery.""Save Your Skin Foundation has every confidence that the new NCCN Guidelines for Squamous Cell Carcinoma will help patients understand and manage their skin cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recommended follow-up routine," said Natalie Richardson, Managing Director, Save Your Skin Foundation."This comprehensive resource gives skin cancer patients a reliable checklist to inform decisions in their care, which is much-needed for this common form of cancer, and even more so if patients present with advanced disease."Repeat incidences of squamous cell skin cancer can be common, but according to Dr. Schmults it is rarely due to an actual recurrence, but rather represents an entirely new tumor.She emphasized the importance of letting survivors know that getting more than one squamous cell tumor is not unusual.However, doctors and patients should work to minimize skin cancers because people who get many (10 or more) have a high risk of cancer spreading and being hard to cure.There are ways to prevent new tumors, including daily sunscreen use, prescription creams to reverse sun damage, and a certain type of vitamin pill.