The many faces of squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is a disease that has a multitude of clinical, histologic, and etiologic subtypes, all of which are of significance to the clinician. OBJECTIVE. Ten of the most common and clinically significant subtypes of squamous cell carcinoma are presented to emphasize the clinical importance of each and to emphasize and contrast their differences. METHODS. The literature of each subtype of squamous cell carcinoma is reviewed and capsulized. RESULTS. Appropriate diagnosis, therapy, and postoperative management of all subtypes of squamous cell carcinomas are dependent upon the understanding of their unique characteristics. CONCLUSION. The 10 common variants of squamous cell carcinoma presented in this paper: neurotrophic squamous cell carcinoma, Bowen's disease, squamous cell carcinoma in transplant patients, keratoacanthoma-like squamous cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the lip, adenoid squamous cell carcinoma, spindle cell squamous cell carcinoma, radiation-induced squamous cell carcinoma, verrucous carcinoma, and Marjolin's ulcer, have unique etiologic, histologic, and clinical features that significantly influence their diagnosis, treatment, and subsequent management. It is imperative that physicians responsible for the care of these patients understand the implication of these unique characteristics.