From the Guidelines
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and other modalities.
Treatment Options
- Surgery: The first-line and most effective treatment for cSCC, with options including standard excision, Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS), and curettage and electrodesiccation (C&E) 1.
- Radiation Therapy: Can be used as primary treatment in special situations where surgery is not feasible, or as adjuvant therapy for high-risk tumors with perineural invasion or regional metastasis 1.
Considerations
- Tumor size, thickness, and location, as well as patient preferences and comorbidities, should be considered when choosing a treatment modality 1.
- Regional Lymph Node Dissection may be necessary for patients with regional nodal involvement, with radiation therapy as an alternative when surgery is not feasible 1.
Important Factors
- Complete removal or treatment of the primary tumor is essential, with histological assessment as the gold standard for identifying tumor margins 1.
- Identification of high-risk tumors is crucial, as they may require more aggressive treatment and management by a multiprofessional team 1.
From the Research
Treatment Options for Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)
The treatment options for Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) include:
- Surgery: can be used alone or in combination with radiation therapy 2
- Radiation therapy: can be used as a monotherapy, especially in low-risk or cosmetically sensitive areas 2
- Chemotherapy: cisplatin as a single agent or combined with 5-fluorouracil are commonly used, but the evidence is inconsistent 2, 3
- Immunotherapy: checkpoint inhibitors such as cemiplimab, pembrolizumab, and nivolumab are approved for the treatment of advanced, recurrent, or metastatic SCC patients 4
- Combination topical chemotherapy: a combination of topical 5-fluorouracil, imiquimod, and tretinoin can be effective in treating invasive SCC in select patients who decline surgery 5
- Alternative non-surgical options: novel and experimental treatments are being considered, but more research is needed to determine their effectiveness 6
Factors Influencing Treatment Choice
The choice of treatment for SCC depends on various factors, including:
- Location and extent of the tumor
- Stage of the disease
- Patient's overall health and preferences
- Presence of high-risk features such as depth of invasion, poor histological differentiation, and perineural involvement 2
- Expression of certain biomarkers such as epidermal growth factor receptor and nuclear active IκB kinase (IKK) 2, 3
Emerging Trends in SCC Treatment
Research is ongoing to explore new and innovative treatments for SCC, including: