Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Also known as SCC, it is a malignant tumour of the skin and the second most common form of skin cancer. SCC is caused by prolonged exposure to UV-radiation. There has been a global increase in the incidence of SCC recorded in fair skinned people; their lack of skin pigmentation is thought to be a determining factor in developing SCC or skin tumours.

Recently AKs have been demonstrated to be an initial step in a continuum with squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) at the opposite end. Currently there is no available technology that allows distinction between lesions that will regress, remain stable or progress to invasive skin cancers, so the majority of AKs are treated because of the concern that they may progress to invasive SCC, a malignant form of skin cancer.

Destructive therapy, predominantly cryosurgery, is the mainstay of treatment. Photodynamic therapy or treatment with topical agents such as 5-fluorouracil, diclofenac, imiquimod or colchicine is also employed.

Highly susceptible subgroups - immune suppressed patients

There is a remarkably high incidence of skin cancer in organ transplant patients, due to the necessary use of immune suppressive medications. It has been found that organ transplant patients are up to 65 times more likely to develop skin cancer than those who have not had an organ transplant.

There is a direct correlation between the incidence of skin cancer and the natural pigmentation of an individual's skin. Afro Americans who have undergone organ transplants have a lower incidence of skin cancer than Caucasian organ transplant patients, such findings add to the validation of our approach with afamelanotide (CUV1647).

For more information on SCC, please see the Clinuvel Photoprotection SCC page.

References

Anwar J, Wrone DA, Kimyai-Asadi A, Alam M. 'The Development of Actinic Keratosis into Invasive Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Evidence and Evolving Classification Schemes', Clinics in Dermatology 2004;22:189-96

Euvrard S, Kanitakis J, Decullier E et al. 'Subsequent Skin Cancers in Kidney and Heart Transplant Recipients after the First Squamous Cell Carcinoma', Transplantation 2006;81(8):1093-1100

Higashi MK, Veenstra DL, Langley PC. 'Health Economic Evaluation of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer and Actinic Keratosis'. Pharmacoeconomics 2004;22(2):83-94

Oppel T, Korting HC. 'Actinic Keratosis: The Key Event in the Evolution from Photoaged Skin to Squamous Cell Carcinoma', Skin Pharmacology and Physiology 2004;17(2):67-76

Spencer JM, Hazan C, Hsiung SH, Robins P. 'Therapeutic decision making in the therapy of actinic keratoses'. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology 2005;4(3):296-30