Squamous Cell Carcinoma Lung Cancer

What Is Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Lung Cancer?

Squamous cell carcinoma is a cancer that can develop in many different parts of the body, including the skin, genitals, and notably the lungs. Tens of thousands of people develop squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer every year.

Here’s what to know about squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer:

• Squamous cell lung cancer is a subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), accounting for 25%-30% of NSCLC cases.
• The main cause of squamous cell lung cancer is smoking, but other factors like asbestos exposure play a role too.
• The average survival time for squamous cell carcinoma of the lung is around 1 year, with some patients living longer with medical treatment.

If you’ve been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, we can help you explore treatments to potentially improve your overall survival and compensation options to cover any expenses.

Get our Free Lung Cancer Guide to see how we can assist you or someone you love facing squamous cell lung carcinoma.

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• Understand risk factors
• Find top treatments
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Causes of Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Smoking cigarettes is the biggest cause of squamous cell lung cancer. Around 80% of squamous cell lung carcinoma cases in men and 90% of cases in women are linked to tobacco smoke.

In fact, squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer is more closely linked to smoking than any other type of lung cancer, according to Yale Medicine.

Exposure to secondhand smoke, radon, asbestos, and other toxic substances are also notable risk factors. These materials are all considered carcinogens, or cancer-causing agents.
For instance, asbestos fibers damage lung tissues and can trigger squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer 10-50 years later.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma Lung Cancer Symptoms

Squamous cell lung carcinoma shares symptoms with the other types of NSCLC. It causes issues with breathing, coughing, and tiredness.

Common squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer symptoms include:

• Blood in mucus or sputum
• Cough and/or chest pain that won’t go away
• Fatigue
• Hoarseness
• Loss of appetite
• Pain when swallowing
• Shortness of breath
• Unexplained weight loss
• Wheezing

“If squamous cell carcinoma has spread beyond the lungs, it can cause other symptoms. For example, you may have bone pain if it has spread to your bones, or headaches and seizures if it has spread to your brain.”

— Harvard Medical School

Symptoms of squamous cell lung carcinoma usually don’t appear until the cancer has spread, by which point it could be harder to treat. Because of this, if you or someone you love is experiencing potential symptoms, see a doctor promptly and share your concerns.

Diagnosing Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung

Doctors will use a series of tests to diagnose you with squamous cell lung carcinoma. First, they will want to know about your overall health. Tell them about any symptoms you have, if you smoke or used to smoke, and if you were ever exposed to other toxins like asbestos.

From there, your doctors may recommend imaging scans to look inside your lungs for signs of squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer.

Tests to diagnose squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer include:

• X-rays: This is typically the first imaging scan performed if squamous cell lung carcinoma is suspected. A low dose of radiation is used to take a picture of the inside of your body.
• Computed tomography (CT) scans: A CT scan uses a machine to take a series of photos of your body’s insides from different angles.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans: An MRI uses radio waves, a computer, and a powerful magnet to take pictures of your body.
• Positron emission tomography (PET) scans: PET scans help doctors see the soft tissue within your body.

Doctors will then order a biopsy if they believe you might have squamous cell lung carcinoma based on the results of the imaging scans. A biopsy removes a tissue sample to look for cancer cells under a microscope and is the only way to confirm a diagnosis.

Misdiagnosing Squamous Cell Carcinoma Lung Cancer

Some health care providers may misdiagnose squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer, as the symptoms could be mistaken for more common and less serious health problems. For example, it could be misdiagnosed as a cold or bronchitis at first.

A squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer misdiagnosis can prevent you from getting the treatments you need to live longer. Consider getting a second opinion from another doctor if you believe your condition has been misdiagnosed.

Stages of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Lung Cancer

Squamous cell carcinoma can be classified into one of five stages depending on cancer spread at the time of diagnosis. Having a lower lung cancer stage will likely mean you have a better overall health outlook, as tumors won’t have spread far and can be more easily treated.

The stages of squamous cell lung carcinoma include:

• Stage 0: Cancer cells are found on one part of the lung
• Stage I: The cancer has grown into a tiny tumor on the lung
• Stage II: The lung tumor has gotten bigger and may or may not be found in nearby lymph nodes
• Stage III: The tumors have spread into lymph nodes and possibly other body parts
• Stage IV: The cancer has spread outside of the lungs and throughout the body

You’ll typically have fewer treatment options available if you have a higher squamous cell carcinoma stage. That said, your doctors can recommend the best medical care options to help no matter your stage.

Squamous Cell Lung Cancer Prognosis

The squamous cell lung cancer prognosis, or expected health outcome, is generally poor. Most patients live for 1 year after being diagnosed.

That said, you could live much longer than the typical lung cancer squamous cell carcinoma prognosis depending on how your cancer responds to treatment.

Your doctor will measure your squamous cell carcinoma lung prognosis using two statistics: life expectancy and survival rate. Learn about each below.

Squamous Cell Lung Carcinoma Life Expectancy

Life expectancy is how long your doctor thinks you’ll live based on how far the cancer has spread, your general health, and other aspects of your diagnosis. The overall squamous cell lung cancer life expectancy is 10.1-12.9 months.

Life expectancy is generally higher if you have early-stage squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer since you can often get aggressive treatments. Doctors can provide a more specific life expectancy depending on the factors unique to your case.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma Lung Survival Rate

Lung cancer survival rates measure the percentage of patients still alive after a certain amount of time has passed.

The average 5-year squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer survival rate is only 24%, according to Harvard Health. But medical care may be able to help you live even longer in some cases.

Squamous Cell Lung Carcinoma Treatments

There are multiple treatments for squamous cell lung cancer. Which lung cancer treatments will be most effective for you or a loved one depends on many factors, such as your age, general health, stage of the cancer, and more.

The best doctors for squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer will take into account all of the factors listed above before recommending treatments. Learn about top treatments for squamous cell carcinoma below.

Surgery

Surgery will allow a doctor to remove squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer tumors from your body, along with any organs it has grown into, such as all or part of a lung or nearby lymph nodes.

Lung cancer surgery is typically the main first-line, or initial, treatment for early-stage squamous cell lung carcinoma. It may be combined with other treatments like radiation and surgery to ensure that more of the cancer is destroyed.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses powerful chemicals to kill squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer cells and reduce the size of tumors. Cisplatin, carboplatin, and other chemotherapy drugs can be used for all stages of squamous cell carcinoma, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Chemotherapy is often used as a follow-up treatment after surgery in the early stages of this cancer. Late-stage squamous cell lung cancer patients typically receive chemotherapy as their main form of treatment.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy uses beams of energy to damage squamous cancer cells’ ability to spread. It’s very effective for early-stage squamous cell lung cancer, with some patients becoming cancer-free with only this treatment.

Late-stage patients may receive lung cancer radiation as a palliative, or pain-relieving, treatment while getting other therapies to live longer.

Get our Free Lung Cancer Guide to find out which treatments could help you or someone you love with squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer after a diagnosis.

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• Find top treatments
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Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is medication that improves the body’s immune response to squamous cell lung cancer. Lung cancer cells can hide from the immune system, which typically wants to kill these cells. Immunotherapy reverses this so the cancer can be destroyed.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) several immunotherapy drugs for squamous cell carcinoma lung cancer and other types of NSCLC.

Help for Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients

Getting diagnosed with squamous cell lung carcinoma can bring a lot of stress and anxiety into your life. However, it’s important to stay hopeful. With the right treatment plan in place, it may be possible to improve your life expectancy and feel better.

Lung Cancer Group is ready to assist you and your family as you navigate life with squamous cell carcinoma or any other type of lung cancer.

Work with our team to:

• Find information about the best doctors and treatments
• Seek lung cancer compensation to cover any expenses
• Access other key resources to help in your lung cancer journey

Get our Free Lung Cancer Guide or call (877) 446-5767 to kickstart the process.