{"id":2118,"date":"2019-06-03T17:47:08","date_gmt":"2019-06-03T17:47:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/scfredesignpro.wpengine.com\/?page_id=2118"},"modified":"2025-01-30T14:23:03","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T14:23:03","slug":"scc-causes-and-risk-factors","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/skin-cancer-information\/squamous-cell-carcinoma\/scc-causes-and-risk-factors\/","title":{"rendered":"Squamous Cell Carcinoma Risk Factors"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;small translation&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Translation:\u00a0\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/skincancer.org\/international\/le-carcinome-epidermoide-cutane\/#risk\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2507\" src=\"https:\/\/skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/france-flag-icon-16.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"11\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/skincancer.org\/international\/das-plattenepithelkarzinom\/#risk\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2508\" src=\"https:\/\/skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/germany-flag-icon-16.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"10\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/skincancer.org\/international\/carcinoma-spino-cellulare\/#risk\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2509\" src=\"https:\/\/skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/italy-flag-icon-16.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"11\" \/><\/a> \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/international\/carcinoma-celulas-escamosas\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4187\" src=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/portugal-flag-icon-16.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"11\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/international\/carcinoma-de-celulas-escamosas\/#risk\">En Espa\u00f1ol<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\">Squamous Cell Carcinoma<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: rgba(50,63,74,0.65);\">Risk Factors<\/span><\/h1>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column offset=&#8221;vc_col-lg-offset-1 vc_col-lg-10&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;The Risks. The Causes. What You Can Do.&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h2|text_align:center&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221; el_class=&#8221;large&#8221;]Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin is caused by DNA damage that leads to abnormal changes (mutations) in the squamous cells in the outermost layer of skin.<\/p>\n<p>Understanding what causes this damage and the factors that increase your risk of developing SCC can help you detect the disease early or prevent it from happening in the first place.<\/p>\n<p>These factors increase your SCC risk:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#exposure\">Unprotected exposure<\/a> to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning beds.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#weakened\">Weakened immune system<\/a> due to illness or certain immunosuppressive medications.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#history\">History of skin cancer<\/a> including basal cell carcinoma (BCC).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#age\">Age over 50<\/a>: Most SCCs appear in people over age 50.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#fair\">Light skin<\/a>: People with lighter skin are at an increased risk for SCC.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#gender\">Gender<\/a>: Men are more likely to develop SCC.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#conditions\">Sun-sensitive conditions<\/a> including xeroderma pigmentosum.<\/li>\n<li>Chronic infections and skin inflammation from burns, scars and other conditions.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#precancers\">Skin precancers<\/a> including actinic keratosis.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#hpv\">History of human papilloma virus (HPV)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section full_width=&#8221;stretch_row&#8221; content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1532456871168{background-color: #323f4a !important;}&#8221;][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243; el_class=&#8221;subpage-nav&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Overview&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#323f4a&#8221; custom_text=&#8221;#ffcc42&#8243; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; i_align=&#8221;right&#8221; i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-arrow-right&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skincancer.org%2Fskin-cancer-information%2Fsquamous-cell-carcinoma%2Fscc-treatment-options%2F|title:Squamous%20Cell%20Carcinoma%20Treatment||&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243; el_class=&#8221;subpage-nav&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Warning Signs&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#323f4a&#8221; custom_text=&#8221;#ffcc42&#8243; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; i_align=&#8221;right&#8221; i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-arrow-right&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skincancer.org%2Fskin-cancer-information%2Fsquamous-cell-carcinoma%2Fscc-warning-signs-and-images%2F|title:Squamous%20Cell%20Carcinoma%20Warning%20Signs||&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243; el_class=&#8221;subpage-nav&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Treatment&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#323f4a&#8221; custom_text=&#8221;#ffcc42&#8243; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; i_align=&#8221;right&#8221; i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-arrow-right&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skincancer.org%2Fskin-cancer-information%2Fsquamous-cell-carcinoma%2Fscc-treatment-options%2F|title:Squamous%20Cell%20Carcinoma%20Treatment||&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243; el_class=&#8221;subpage-nav&#8221;][vc_btn title=&#8221;Advanced Treatment&#8221; style=&#8221;custom&#8221; custom_background=&#8221;#323f4a&#8221; custom_text=&#8221;#ffcc42&#8243; shape=&#8221;square&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; i_align=&#8221;right&#8221; i_icon_fontawesome=&#8221;fa fa-arrow-right&#8221; add_icon=&#8221;true&#8221; link=&#8221;url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skincancer.org%2Fskin-cancer-information%2Fsquamous-cell-carcinoma%2Fadvanced-scc%2F|title:Advanced%20Squamous%20Cell%20Carcinoma%20Treatment||&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section][vc_row el_class=&#8221;content-block&#8221; el_id=&#8221;exposure&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Unprotected exposure to UV radiation&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]Cumulative, unprotected exposure to UV radiation is the main cause of SCC as well as a risk factor for most skin cancers. The more time you spend in the sun over your lifetime \u2014 from long days at the beach to short periods of unprotected exposure \u2014 the greater your likelihood of developing SCC. If you work outdoors or spend extensive leisure or recreation time in the sun, your risk is especially increased.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a fact: About 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to UV radiation from the sun.<\/p>\n<p>Your exposure to UV rays is also a risk that you can control. Find out more <a href=\"http:\/\/skincancer.org\/risk-factors\/uv-radiation\/\">here<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; el_class=&#8221;stat&#8221;][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;5\/12&#8243; offset=&#8221;vc_col-sm-offset-2&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h5>It&#8217;s a fact<\/h5>\n<p><span class=\"big-stat\">90%<\/span><br \/>\nof nonmelanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to UV radiation from the sun.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243; offset=&#8221;vc_col-sm-offset-2&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;171&#8243; img_size=&#8221;large&#8221; alignment=&#8221;right&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_section][vc_row el_class=&#8221;content-block&#8221; el_id=&#8221;uv&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;History of indoor tanning&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]Tanning beds emit UV radiation that is dangerous and raises your risk of developing SCC. People who have tanned indoors have a <strong>67 percent increased risk<\/strong> of developing SCC compared with those who haven\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>SCCs account for about 168,000 of the 419,000 cases of skin cancer diagnosed in the U.S. each year that are linked to indoor tanning.<\/p>\n<p>In the last 30 years, the number of women under age 40 diagnosed with SCC has risen steadily \u2014 a statistic that experts also believe is linked to indoor tanning.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;content-block&#8221; el_id=&#8221;weakened&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Weakened immune system&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]If your <strong>immune system <\/strong>is weakened or suppressed, you are more likely to develop SCC than people with healthy immune systems. This includes individuals with medical conditions that reduce immune function, including those with HIV, those receiving chemotherapy to treat cancer and those using immunosuppressive medications for autoimmune diseases. For organ transplant recipients on immunosuppressive antirejection drugs, the risk increases dramatically: Transplant patients are about\u00a0100 times more likely to develop SCC.<\/p>\n<p>Excessive sun exposure also weakens the immune system, further raising the risk of developing SCC and other skin cancers in people with already compromised immune systems.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;content-block&#8221; el_id=&#8221;history&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Skin cancer history&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]If you\u2019ve had SCC, you have a high chance of recurrence. You also have an elevated risk of developing another SCC or <a href=\"http:\/\/skincancer.org\/skin-cancer-information\/basal-cell-carcinoma\/\">basal cell carcinoma<\/a> (BCC), since sun damage is the primary cause of both forms of skin cancer. If you have had a previous diagnosis of BCC, you also have a greater chance of developing SCC.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;content-block&#8221; el_id=&#8221;age&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Age over 50&#8243; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]The risk of developing SCC increases as you age, and there is a reason why the disease most commonly occurs in people over 50. The longer you live, the more sun exposure and sun damage you accumulate.\u00a0 However, SCCs do occur in young adults, especially those who spend a lot of time in the sun and\/or have used indoor tanning beds.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;content-block&#8221; el_id=&#8221;fair&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Light skin&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]Although people of all <a href=\"http:\/\/skincancer.org\/risk-factors\/skin-type\/\">skin types<\/a> can develop SCC, people with light skin \u2014 especially individuals with red or blond hair, blue or green eyes or skin that freckles or easily burns \u2014 have a heightened risk for the disease.<\/p>\n<p>The threat of skin cancer still exists for people with darker skin tones, and the need for sun safety is absolutely essential. In fact, the majority of skin cancers in African Americans are SCCs, often arising in areas where previous skin conditions or inflammation has occurred. Recently, there has also been an uptick in new SCCs diagnosed in Latinos.<\/p>\n<p>If you don\u2019t know your skin type,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/skincancer.org\/blog\/skin-cancer-quiz\/\">take the quiz<\/a> and find out.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;content-block&#8221; el_id=&#8221;gender&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Gender&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]Squamous cell carcinomas occur at <a href=\"http:\/\/skincancer.org\/blog\/ask-the-expert-why-are-more-men-dying-of-skin-cancer\/\">least twice as frequently in men<\/a> as in women.\u00a0 This is attributed to greater cumulative amounts of sun exposure in men.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;content-block&#8221; el_id=&#8221;conditions&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Sun-sensitive conditions&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]People with xeroderma pigmentosum \u2013 a rare disorder that makes the skin less able to repair DNA damage caused by the sun \u2013 or other <a href=\"http:\/\/skincancer.org\/risk-factors\/photosensitivity\/\">photosensitivity<\/a> conditions such as polymorphous light eruption or solar urticaria have an elevated risk for skin damage, SCC and other skin cancers.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;content-block&#8221; el_id=&#8221;precancers&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Precancers&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]Certain precancerous growths, often resulting from cumulative sun damage, are linked with SCC.<\/p>\n<h4>Actinic keratosis<\/h4>\n<p>Anywhere from 40 to 60 percent of all SCCs begin as an untreated precancerous lesion known as an\u00a0<strong>actinic keratosis<\/strong> (AK). Anywhere from two to 10 percent of untreated\u00a0AKs\u00a0progress to SCC, sometimes as quickly as within two years, according to studies. Find out <a href=\"http:\/\/skincancer.org\/skin-cancer-information\/actinic-keratosis\/\">more about AKs<\/a> here, and why you need to address them before they can become more serious.<\/p>\n<h4>Actinic cheilitis<\/h4>\n<p>This form of actinic keratosis occurs most often on the lower lip, causing it to become dry, cracked, scaly and pale or white. If not treated promptly, actinic cheilitis is at heightened risk of turning into an invasive squamous cell carcinoma.<\/p>\n<h4>Leukoplakia<\/h4>\n<p>Leukoplakias are white patches on the lips tongue, gums, cheeks or other places inside the mouth that can potentially develop into squamous cell carcinoma. They may be caused by sources of chronic irritation, such as regular alcohol consumption or tobacco use, or rough edges on teeth or dentures. Leukoplakias on the lips are mainly caused by sun damage.<\/p>\n<h4>Bowen&#8217;s disease<\/h4>\n<p>Bowen\u2019s disease (also known as squamous cell carcinoma in situ) is considered to be an early, noninvasive stage of SCC. It appears as a persistent red-brown, scaly patch that may resemble eczema. If untreated, it may penetrate more deeply, becoming a fully invasive SCC. Bowen\u2019s disease on the skin is most often caused by exposure to the sun, but radiation, chemical carcinogens such as arsenic, genetics and trauma also may play a role.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;content-block&#8221; el_id=&#8221;hpv&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;Human papilloma virus (HPV)&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]HPV, which can arise in the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth as well as on the skin has been documented as a cause of Bowen\u2019s disease on the genitals.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=&#8221;content-block&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;How is squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed?&#8221; font_container=&#8221;tag:h3|text_align:left&#8221; use_theme_fonts=&#8221;yes&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;2\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]To diagnose SCC, a dermatologist biopsies the suspicious tissue and sends it to a lab, where a dermatopathologist determines whether cancer cells are present.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gene Expression Profile Tests and Squamous Cell Carcinoma<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you have been diagnosed with a squamous cell carcinoma of the skin and have certain risk factors, a <a href=\"https:\/\/castlebiosciences.com\/tests\/prognostic\/decisiondx-scc\/overview\"><strong>gene expression profile (GEP) test <\/strong><\/a>can create personalized information to determine:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the likelihood of your tumor spreading to the lymph nodes or to other parts of the body (metastasis).<\/li>\n<li>the best course of treatment.<\/li>\n<li>the appropriate follow-up and surveillance with your care team.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<em><strong>Reviewed by<\/strong>: <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Elizabeth K. Hale, MD<br \/>\n<\/em><em>C. William Hanke, MD<\/em><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner el_class=&#8221;spons-row&#8221;][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">This section made possible with support from<\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; gap: 10px;\"><a class=\"sponsor-logo\" href=\"https:\/\/mysccskincancer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/CastleLogoColor_Transparent.png\" alt=\"Castle Biosciences Logo\" \/><br \/>\n<\/a><a class=\"sponsor-logo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.regeneron.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"95\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-7840 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Regeneron-Logo-No-Tagline-copy-600x95.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/Regeneron-Logo-No-Tagline-copy-600x95.png 600w, https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/Regeneron-Logo-No-Tagline-copy-768x121.png 768w, https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/Regeneron-Logo-No-Tagline-copy.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=&#8221;small translation&#8221;] Translation:\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 En Espa\u00f1ol [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] Squamous Cell Carcinoma Risk Factors [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column offset=&#8221;vc_col-lg-offset-1 vc_col-lg-10&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;The Risks. The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2791,"parent":2109,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2118","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.3 (Yoast SEO v25.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Squamous Cell Carcinoma Risk Factors - The Skin Cancer Foundation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Understanding what causes squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and the factors that increase your risk of developing this skin cancer can help you detect it early.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/skin-cancer-information\/squamous-cell-carcinoma\/scc-causes-and-risk-factors\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Squamous Cell Carcinoma Risk Factors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Understanding what causes squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and the factors that increase your risk of developing this skin cancer can help you detect it early.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/skin-cancer-information\/squamous-cell-carcinoma\/scc-causes-and-risk-factors\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Skin Cancer Foundation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/skincancerfoundation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-01-30T14:23:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma-1-wart-like-on-ear.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"304\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"468\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@skincancerorg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/skin-cancer-information\/squamous-cell-carcinoma\/scc-causes-and-risk-factors\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/skin-cancer-information\/squamous-cell-carcinoma\/scc-causes-and-risk-factors\/\",\"name\":\"Squamous Cell Carcinoma Risk Factors - The Skin Cancer Foundation\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/skin-cancer-information\/squamous-cell-carcinoma\/scc-causes-and-risk-factors\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/skin-cancer-information\/squamous-cell-carcinoma\/scc-causes-and-risk-factors\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma-1-wart-like-on-ear.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-06-03T17:47:08+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-01-30T14:23:03+00:00\",\"description\":\"Understanding what causes squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and the factors that increase your risk of developing this skin cancer can help you detect it early.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/skin-cancer-information\/squamous-cell-carcinoma\/scc-causes-and-risk-factors\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/skin-cancer-information\/squamous-cell-carcinoma\/scc-causes-and-risk-factors\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/skin-cancer-information\/squamous-cell-carcinoma\/scc-causes-and-risk-factors\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma-1-wart-like-on-ear.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.skincancer.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Squamous-Cell-Carcinoma-1-wart-like-on-ear.png\",\"width\":304,\"height\":468,\"caption\":\"A wart-like growth that crusts and occasionally bleeds. 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