Saulė Gražulytė1, Dominyka Grinciūtė1
1Vilnius University, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius, Lithuania
Abstract
Background. Squamosus cell carcinoma is a common cancer in dermatology. Carcinoma can be either invasive or non-invasive. In diagnosing lesions, dermatoscopy is widely employed. Distinctive dermatoscopic features are identified for each lesion. However, a definitive diagnosis still requires a biopsy with histological examination as precise diagnosis is crucial for treatment selection.
Aim. This study aims to discuss the etiology, dermatoscopic features, the most common locations of squamous cell carcinoma, and the differences between invasive and non-invasive cancer.
Methods. The literature review was conducted using Google Scholar and PubMed databases. Search words such as squamosus cell carcinoma, Bowen’s disease, dermatoscopic features, diagnosis, and treatment, were used. Only articles in English were included, case reports and case series were excluded.
Results. The typical manifestation of Bowen’s disease is a slowly increasing erythematous plaque with clear boundaries covered by a crust. The main difference between in situ and invasive carcinoma, in the case of Bowen’s disease the basal membrane remains intact. The non-invasive form can be treated conservatively, and the best results are achieved through the application of combined treatment methods. The primary treatment method for the invasive form is surgical intervention.
Conclusion. Both Bowen’s disease and invasive squamous cell carcinoma commonly present with the same dermatoscopic features, thus relying solely on dermatoscopy is insufficient for a definitive diagnosis. Due to its greater aggressiveness and risk of metastasis, invasive carcinoma is typically treated with excision of the lesion, while conservative treatment may be applied for the in situ form.
Keywords: invasive squamosus cell carcinoma, Bowen’s disease, dermatoscopic features, diagnosis, treatment options.