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Types of Cancer > OncoLink Vet > Veterinary Oncology > Tumors

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Supported by the Savannah and Barry French Poodle Memorial Fund
Affiliation: University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
Last Modified: August 21, 2005

Michael H. Goldschmidt, MSc, BVMS, MRCVS, Diplomate ACVP Professor and Head, Laboratory of Pathology and Toxicology Chief, Surgical Pathology Department of Pathobiology
Frances S. Shofer, PhD, Adjunct Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Introduction

Definition: A malignant tumor of epidermal cells with varying degrees of keratinocyte (squamous cell) differentiation

Synonyms: epidermoid carcinoma or prickle-cell carcinoma

Etiology

Some cases of squamous cell carcinoma are thought to arise from excessive short-wave ultraviolet light (UVB) exposure, which can cause epithelial changes including clonal mutation and DNA damage to keratocytes. As a result, these tumors commonly arise in non-pigmented, either sparsely- haired or un-haired skin. Since increased sun exposure is a known risk factor for the tumor, there is a higher incidence of squamous cell carcinoma in the south and southwestern USA and in other parts of the world with a similar climate.