Squamous skin cancer

[FLIPPINPATTY]

I just got my pathology report for a lesion taken from my inner thigh & I'm freaking out.
Can someone please tell me what this means?  Is this still caught early &
have a good cure rate?  It's making me so upset.
It says moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma which infiltrates to
the mid reticular dermis.  Margins clear.

[maatson]

Very happy to hear this. M.

[FLIPPINPATTY]

I went to MDA this week and saw a dermatologist and oncology surgeon. I am so relieved that their advise is to leave it alone.  They said they would have liked to have a wider margin, but the margins were clean and it is healing well. They said that I need to be on the lookout, because I will probably get another one like this & I need to get in quick because this one went deep fast. If this would have been melanoma, I'd be in trouble. So, SPF everyday & skin checkups every 3 months for awhile. I can do that! :)  Now, if I can stop checking all my new bumps and spots and stop freaking out.....

[FLIPPINPATTY]

Thanks so much for your answers.  They are going to send my slides to MDA at my request, for a second opinion.  This came up so fast. The dermatologist thought it was a keratoacanthoma & after reading about it, I thought so too. It will probably be a couple of weeks before I hear back from MDA, so I'm trying to not freak out so much.

[maatson]

Beyond subcutis (Below the reticular layer of dermis) carries a worse prognosis.Also infiltration of and perineural tissue or vascular infiltration is totally different.
Regards and do freely discuss with me ok?

[FLIPPINPATTY]

  I read that the reticular dermis is composed of blood vessels, nerves, and lymph vessels that support nourishment for the skin.  

[maatson]

Most pathologists do not currently grade the differentiation of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas. (However, in general more the differentiation the better prognosis).Also there is not much information on depth of the sq.cell lesion and prognosis.The presence of neural and/or vascular invasion has been reported to be an indicator of adverse prognosis (You do not have)
Exerpts gathered from Long Course Article
Modern Pathology (2006) 19, S88–S92. doi:10.1038/modpathol.3800509.

With these above you should have a good prognosis.
Do consult your doc.Best-wishes.

[FLIPPINPATTY]

I have been searching the net trying to get information.  My spot came up as a small bump that I thought was a ingrown hair. I picked at it alot and it grew real fast to the size of a pea. It was real sore.  The dermatologist thought it was a karatoacanthoma & I did too. I can't believe it turned to squamous skin cancer so fast.
What is worrying me is that the path report says it was moderately differnetiated &  into the mid  reticular dermis.  Does this make a
worse prognosis?
Thanks for your answers.

[maatson]

Most sq.cell.carcinomas can be treated with minor surgery, cryotherapy,ext.application(5-FU) depending on the area and aggressiveness.
Squamous cell carcinoma rarely causes further problems when identified and treated early.Also it rarely metastasizes.
So do approach this problem with out fear and you should do fine.
Do consult your doc. ok?
Best wishes.