Excessive UV exposure (sun, tanning beds) is the main risk factor, but other key factors include fair skin, history of severe sunburns, weakened immune system (e.g., transplant recipients, HIV/AIDS), older age, smoking, HPV infection, chronic skin inflammation, and exposure to certain chemicals like arsenic.
UV radiation from the sun increases the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. Covering the skin with clothes or sunblock can help lower the risk. Using tanning beds. People who use indoor tanning beds have an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
The most common risk factor categories are listed here: Aging: The most important risk factor for cancer is aging. Most cancers occur in people over the age of 65. Tobacco Use: Using tobacco or exposure to secondhand smoke increases one's risk for cancer.
The more time you spend in the sun over your lifetime — from long days at the beach to short periods of unprotected exposure — the greater your likelihood of developing SCC. If you work outdoors or spend extensive leisure or recreation time in the sun, your risk is especially increased.
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma is an increasing public health concern, representing the second most common cancer in the United States. High-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma represents a subgroup of this disease, where patients are at higher risk of metastasis and death.
General risk factors
Lifestyle factors – these include smoking, your weight, your diet, how active you are, sun exposure and sunbed use, and how much alcohol you drink. You can read more about how to reduce your risk below. Family history – some cancers are more common in some families.
Foods rich in this antioxidant include Brazil nuts, scallops, lobster, barley, oats, whole wheat, wheat germ and milk. Preliminary studies with green tea also show possible benefits in melanoma prevention, but research remains in its infancy. Aim to get antioxidants from foods instead of supplements.
Squamous cell cancer cannot turn into melanoma since each type of cancer arises from different types of cells in the skin. It is possible, however, to have both squamous cell skin cancer and melanoma skin cancer at the same time.
What are the signs of melanoma?
Smoking causes an estimated 20% of the nation's cancer disease burden each year. Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of cancer, accounting for 13% of cancer cases per year.
Cancer risk factors are overall similar worldwide. Smoking, insufficient physical activity, alcohol, diet, overweight and obesity, and infections account for a high proportion of cancers worldwide, as they do in the UK. World Health Organization.
About 90% of cancers are caused by environmental and lifestyle factors, not genetics, including smoking, poor diet (red meat, fried foods), alcohol, sun exposure, pollutants, infections, obesity, and inactivity; only 5–10% are due to inherited genetic defects, with most cancers arising from lifestyle-induced genetic mutations. Tobacco alone accounts for about a third of cancer deaths, while diet, obesity, and inactivity contribute significantly, with controllable factors being key to prevention.
Our observation that chronic stress decreased the numbers of infiltrating CD4 and CD8 T cells around tumors further supports the hypothesis that increased susceptibility to squamous cell carcinoma may be mediated by stress-induced suppression of protective T cell-mediated immunity.
Environmental toxins – Chemical burns and exposure to certain pollutants, such as tobacco smoke, motor vehicle exhaust and arsenic (which may be found in soil, water and air) can cause skin damage that leads to squamous cell carcinoma.
Squamous cell carcinoma can affect anyone. You're most at risk if you: Have long-term sun exposure or sun damage to your skin at a young age. Have a pale complexion, blue or green eyes, blonde or red hair.
This study confirms that there is a significantly increased relative risk of second primary cancers in individuals with SCC. The UV component of sunlight is widely believed to be the main risk factor for skin and lip cancer and this may explain the subsequent excess of malignant melanomas and SCCs of the lip.
Location on the Body
Squamous cell carcinomas that develop on high-risk areas of the body tend to behave more aggressively. These areas include the ears, lips, nose, scalp, fingers, and genitals, as well as sites where the skin is already damaged by chronic inflammation, burns, or scars.
What causes squamous cell carcinoma? Squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer is often caused by prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight or tanning beds. UV radiation damages the DNA in skin cells, causing mutations that can trigger the development of cancerous growths.
Vitamin D deficiency (≤20 ng/mL) is associated with an increased incidence and worse prognosis of various types of cancer including melanoma.
Immune dysregulation due to stress may increase susceptibility to melanoma.
However, more recent evidence does not support such association and recognizes physical activity/exercise role in both melanoma prevention and progression. Nevertheless, sun protection is recommended during outdoor training to minimize UV radiation exposure.
Twenty potential signs of cancer include **unexplained weight loss, persistent fatigue, unusual lumps or swelling, skin changes (sores that don't heal, new moles, color changes), changes in bowel/bladder habits, persistent cough or shortness of breath, hoarseness/voice changes, difficulty swallowing, persistent indigestion, unexplained pain, night sweats, unusual bleeding/bruising, mouth sores that won't heal, loss of appetite, fever, changes in vision/headaches, swelling in lymph nodes, nipple changes, painful urination/ejaculation, and swelling in the face/neck; these warrant a doctor's visit if they last more than a few weeks.
Smoking and tobacco
Smoking tobacco is one of the leading preventable causes of cancer.
If you're looking for the answer to “Why do I always think I have cancer?”, the truth is that there are a number of possible explanations. One cause for cancer-related worries is illness anxiety disorder (IAD), which is defined as a persistent fear of having a serious medical illness despite few or no symptoms.