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Nobody can say for sure what will happen to you if you have squamous cell skin cancer.

What happens to you depends on many things.¹

Most people are cured completely after surgery. However, in about 1 in 100 or 2 in 100 people, the cancer spreads to other parts of the body.² If this happens, the cancer is harder to cure.

We also know that certain squamous cell skin cancers are more serious than others.²

• As with all cancers, the earlier your skin cancer is diagnosed and treated, the better your chance of a cure.
• If your cancer is larger, it will be harder to treat. A tumor larger than about 7/8 of an inch (2 centimeters) across is three times more likely to spread.
• If your tumor is more than 1/6 of an inch (4 millimeters) deep, it's more likely to spread.
• If your cancer is on your lip or ear, it's more likely to spread than if it's on other parts of your body.
• If your cancer shows up on injured or scarred skin, it's more likely to spread than if it shows up on healthy skin.

If you're black, squamous cell skin cancer may be more serious. In black people, this cancer is often diagnosed later, which makes it harder to treat. We don't know why the condition is diagnosed later in black people.³

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.