What are the symptoms of squamous cell carcinoma?

The area may be pink, red, brown or close to your natural skin tone. It can feel tender, bleed easily, crust, itch or become painful. Some lesions are raised and firm; others look like a flat, rough patch or an open sore. They often occur on sun-exposed skin such as the face, ears, scalp, lips, neck, forearms or backs of the hands, but they can occur elsewhere. Actinic keratosis and Bowen's disease can cause similar changes, so appearance alone cannot confirm the diagnosis.

Book a dermatology assessment for a new, changing, bleeding or non-healing lesion. Take a clear photograph and note when you first noticed it, but do not rely on home treatment to remove a suspicious spot. A clinician may examine the area closely and arrange a biopsy. If squamous cell carcinoma is confirmed, treatment may include surgical excision, Mohs surgery or another skin cancer treatment suited to its location and depth.

Arrange prompt care when a sore remains open, repeatedly crusts or bleeds, grows quickly, becomes painful, or forms an ulcer. Seek faster assessment for a lesion on the lip, ear, eyelid or nose, or for new numbness near the area. Do not wait for pain: early skin cancers may cause little discomfort.

Ask whether the lesion needs a biopsy, what other conditions could look similar, and which treatment would preserve function and appearance in that location. Ask how the area should be monitored after treatment and how to protect exposed skin from further ultraviolet damage.