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Though it rarely spreads to other parts of the body, this form of skin cancer can destroy nearby tissues and cause disfigurement of the face or body.
Its appearance can vary, but the first sign can be a small, smooth, shiny, pale or waxy lump; a firm red lump; a lump that bleeds or develops a crust; or a red spot that is rough, dry or scaly.
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Like basal cell carcinoma, this form of skin cancer rarely spreads to other parts of the body.
It too can destroy nearby tissues and cause facial and other body disfigurement. Like basal cell, the first sign of squamous cell carcinoma is a small, smooth, shiny, pale or waxy lump, a firm red lump, a bloody or crusty lump, or a red spot that is rough, dry or scaly.
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You can catch this deadliest form of skin cancer early, before it spreads, by regularly checking for new moles or changes in existing ones.
Here's what to look for: asymmetry (one half doesn't look like the other; border irregularity: the edges are ragged, notched or blurred; color: the pigmentation is not uniform and could include shades of black, brown, tan, white, grey, red, pink or blue; diameter: any growth of a mole is a concern, but especially when it is bigger than the size of a pencil eraser, or about one-quarter inch (6 millimeters) across.
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