Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Put on a broad-brimmed hat that shades your face and neckWear sun protective clothing that covers as much of your body as possibleSeek shadeWear wrap-around sunglassesApply SPF30+ broad spectrum water resistant sunscreen every two hours
PROTECT YOURSELF IN FIVE WAYS FROM SKIN CANCER

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)

Fact sheet on squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arises in the outer layer of skin cells.

Squamous cell carcinoma:

  • is known as a non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC)
  • is the second most common form of skin cancer
  • is less common, but more dangerous than basal cell carcinoma
  • is not as dangerous as melanoma
  • appears as a thickened, red, scaly spot that may bleed easily, crust or ulcerate
  • appears on skin most often exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) – the head, neck, forearms and upper body
  • normally grows over weeks to months, but may spread to other parts of the body if not treated promptly
The 2002 National Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Study1 found that:
  • around 118,000 people were diagnosed with SCC in 2002
  • almost all people with SCC were aged 40 years and over.

Based on the age-specific incidence rates in 2002 and subsequent population change, it is estimated that 138,000 Australians will be diagnosed and treated for SCC in 20082.

In 2006, there were 410 deaths from non-melanoma skin cancer in Australia2.

For more information on types of skin cancer, see the Australasian College of Dermatologists website.

1 National Cancer Control Initiative 2003. The 2002 national non-melanoma skin cancer survey: A report by the NCCI Non-melanoma Skin Cancer Working Group for the state and territory cancer councils. Melbourne. NCCI.
2 AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) and Cancer Australia 2008. Non-melanoma skin cancer: general practice consultations, hospitalisation and mortality. Canberra. AIHW.