Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
About 250,000 people a year are diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, a type of nonaggressive skin cancer for which first lady Laura Bush was treated.
The most common cause is sun exposure, as is the case with the other most frequently occurring skin cancers. Of the skin cancers, melanoma is the most serious because it spreads rapidly and can be deadly if not treated quickly.
On the other hand, death from squamous cell carcinoma is "very, very rare," said Atlanta dermatologist Dr. Rutledge Forney.
Squamous cell carcinoma, which manifests itself as a crusty or scaly lesion on the skin, is usually preventable, Forney said, by wearing sunblocks with an SPF of 45 or higher and by avoiding tanning beds.
"It's a totally sun-related cancer," said Forney, past president of the Atlanta Dermatological Association.
Squamous cell carcinoma most often occurs in the middle-aged and elderly and among those who are fair skinned.
Forney said that she and other dermatologists are seeing increased numbers of cases on women's legs. Many women in her age group tanned their legs. Mrs. Bush's cancer occurred on her right shin.
Typically, treatment is very simple. A doctor cuts the tumor from the skin in a outpatient setting under a local anesthetic.
Copyright 2006 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
