This lesson is going to explain basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
We will describe some of the similarities and differences that exist between the two as well.
Carcinoma
You have heard people talking about cancer for years now. Perhaps you know what cancer is in general, but you are still left with many questions. Why are some cancers referred to as a carcinoma? Carcinoma is a term used for cancers that occur in the epithelial tissue, which makes up the skin. This is why you have heard skin cancer referred to as a carcinoma. This tissue also comprises the lining of the organs inside the body.
There are two types of carcinomas that you hear of quite frequently: squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
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Let’s look at squamous cell carcinoma first. We already know that it is a cancer in the epithelial tissue. Squamous cells make up the outermost layer of the epidermis, or outer layer of the skin, the tubes in the digestive and respiratory tracts, and the linings of the kidneys, bladder and uterus.
There are different types of this cancer such as squamous cell skin cancer, squamous cell lung cancer, and squamous cell oral carcinoma. All of these can be aggressive and fatal, depending on which organs are involved.Some common symptoms of squamous cell carcinoma are open sores that don’t heal or are reoccurring, scaly patches of skin, and wart-like growths. A biopsy, or sample of tissue viewed under the microscope, is required to diagnose the carcinoma.
