Squamous-cell carcinoma or
squamous-cell cancer (
SCC or
SqCC) is a
cancer of a kind of
epithelial cell, the
squamous cell. These cells are the main part of the
epidermis of the skin, and this cancer is one of the major forms of
skin cancer. However, squamous cells also occur in the lining of the
digestive tract, lungs, and other areas of the body, and SCC occurs as a form of cancer in diverse tissues, including the lips, mouth, esophagus, urinary bladder, prostate, lung, vagina, and cervix, among others. Despite sharing the name
squamous-cell carcinoma, the SCCs of different body sites can show tremendous differences in their presenting
symptoms,
natural history,
prognosis, and response to
treatment.