How serious is squamous cell carcinoma?
Dear Cecil:I’m 48 years old. A few months ago, a small growth appeared on the upper side of my left forearm. It looked like a wart, but I went to a doctor recently and had it excised and biopsied. It was a squamous cell carcinoma. The doctor told me there was almost nothing to worry about since squamous cell is one of the least dangerous forms of cancer. Still, it’s hard not to stress about this. I trust your always excellent feedback. What is a squamous cell carcinoma? Do they metastasize at predictable rates? How much do I really have to worry about? If it makes any difference, I smoked cigarettes off and on for 30 years, but quit for good 14 months ago — Neil Flowers, Santa Cruz Dear Neil: Nothing like cancer to make an aging baby boomer realize he’s not a kid anymore. Not to argue with your doctor, but “least dangerous” is not a term I would apply to squamous cell carcinoma. It is much less dangerous than some cancers, but it can spread and it can kill you. What’s more, if you’ve h
