Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Head and Neck (HNSCC)

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MedlinePlus Genetics: ⁴² Squamous cell carcinoma is a cancer that arises from particular cells called squamous cells. Squamous cells are found in the outer layer of skin and in the mucous membranes, which are the moist tissues that line body cavities such as the airways and intestines. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) develops in the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and throat.HNSCC is classified by its location: it can occur in the mouth (oral cavity), the middle part of the throat near the mouth (oropharynx), the space behind the nose (nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses), the upper part of the throat near the nasal cavity (nasopharynx), the voicebox (larynx), or the lower part of the throat near the larynx (hypopharynx). Depending on the location, the cancer can cause abnormal patches or open sores (ulcers) in the mouth and throat, unusual bleeding or pain in the mouth, sinus congestion that does not clear, sore throat, earache, pain when swallowing or difficulty swallowing, a hoarse voice, difficulty breathing, or enlarged lymph nodes.HNSCC can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes or lungs. If it spreads, the cancer has a worse prognosis and can be fatal. About half of affected individuals survive more than five years after diagnosis.

MalaCards based summary: Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Head and Neck, also known as squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, is related to breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma, and has symptoms including tinnitus, snoring and halitosis. An important gene associated with Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Head and Neck is ING1 (Inhibitor Of Growth Family Member 1), and among its related pathways/superpathways are Direct p53 effectors and Senescence and autophagy in cancer. The drugs Cathine and Methadone have been mentioned in the context of this disorder. Affiliated tissues include lymph node, salivary gland and tongue, and related phenotype is squamous cell carcinoma.

Orphanet ⁵⁸ Squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx: A rare head and neck tumor characterized by a malignant epithelial neoplasm with evidence of squamous differentiation, most commonly located in the piriform sinus, less frequently the posterior pharyngeal wall or the postcricoid area. The tumor can spread directly to adjacent structures or metastasize via lymphatic and blood vessels to regional lymph nodes, or lung, liver, and bones, respectively. Primary risk factors are tobacco smoking and (to a lesser extent) alcohol consumption. Patients may present with odynophagia, dysphagia, signs and symptoms related to a neck mass, voice changes, otalgia, and constitutional symptoms.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses: A rare head and neck tumor characterized by a malignant epithelial neoplasm most commonly arising in the maxillary sinus or nasal cavity, occurring as a keratinizing, a non-keratinizing, or a spindle cell (sarcomatoid) type. Patients may present with nasal obstruction, epistaxis, rhinorrhea, swelling, or (at more advances stages) with facial pain and/or paralysis, diplopia, and proptosis. Patients with paranasal sinus tumors present later and at a higher stage than patients with nasal cavity carcinomas. Risk factors are smoking and industrial exposures. High-risk HPV is most frequently associated with the non-keratinizing type.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx: A rare head and neck tumor characterized by a malignant epithelial neoplasm with evidence of squamous differentiation, which may arise in association with high-risk HPV in a subset of cases. HPV-positive tumors have a strong predilection for the base of tongue and the palatine tonsils and typically present at an advanced clinical stage with cervical lymphadenopathy. They are associated with significantly better prognosis than HPV-negative tumors, which more commonly involve the soft palate, manifest as sore throat and difficulty in swallowing or a neck mass, and occur in older patients. Smoking and alcohol consumption are important risk factors.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity: A rare head and neck tumor characterized by a firm infiltrative neoplasm with squamous differentiation, arising from the mucosal epithelium, and most commonly located in the tongue, floor of the mouth, or gingiva, but also the buccal mucosa or any other area of the oral cavity, depending on prevailing risk factors (such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and tobacco chewing). Patients present with a variably white, erythematous, mixed, nodular, or ulcerated lesion, which may cause discomfort, pain, or reduced mobility of the tongue. The tumor is aggressive with a propensity for local invasion and early lymph node metastasis.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the lip: A rare head and neck tumor characterized by a firm infiltrative neoplasm with squamous differentiation, most commonly arising at the vermilion border of the lower lip. Patients present with a usually asymptomatic lesion of variable appearance, such as ulceration, a focus of whitish thickening, a dry atrophic area, or an area of persistent chapping and localized flaking and crusting. Carcinomas of the lower lip tend to progress slowly (as opposed to those of the upper lip). Invasion of adjacent structures, including perineural spread, is typical, with a variable rate of metastasis, depending on the location.

UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot: ⁷³ A non-melanoma skin cancer affecting the head and neck. The hallmark of cutaneous SCC is malignant transformation of normal epidermal keratinocytes.

Disease Ontology: ¹¹ A head and neck carcinoma that has material basis in squamous cells that line the moist, mucosal surfaces inside the head and neck.

Wikipedia: ⁷⁵ Squamous-cell carcinomas (SCCs), also known as epidermoid carcinomas, comprise a number of different... more...

Clinical features from OMIM®:

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