Diagnostic Workflow in cSCC

In this episode, “Diagnostic Workflow in cSCC,” the expert faculty explore the complexity and variability of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) and discuss how clinical presentation, patient history, and pathology findings influence diagnostic evaluation and prognostication. The panel highlights how cSCC encompasses a broad spectrum of disease behaviors, with risk influenced by factors such as chronic ultraviolet exposure, immunosuppression, chronic inflammation, HPV exposure, and prior radiation exposure.

The expert faculty discuss how anatomical location, lesion size, growth pattern, and clinical morphology contribute to treatment planning in daily practice. Particular attention is given to how tumors in high-risk areas, including the head and neck, may behave differently than lesions arising on other body sites. The panel also reviews the role of pathology in identifying aggressive disease features, including poor differentiation, perineural invasion, and extensive mitotic activity, as well as the challenges associated with diagnosing poorly differentiated tumors. Additionally, the discussion emphasizes the importance of integrating clinical examination and evolving diagnostic tools to support more individualized management approaches for patients with cSCC.

The next episode in this series, “Staging Systems and Risk Stratification in cSCC,” features the panelists discussing the evolving role of gene expression profiling and other molecular tools in refining prognostication, improving treatment selection, and identifying patients who may benefit from adjuvant therapies and multidisciplinary management in cSCC.