This type of skin cancer is seen usually on sun-damaged skin, such as on the face, nose, lips, ears, eyelids, scalp, and hands/arms. It often is seen as a rough, painful plaque, or a dome shaped mound resembling a small “volcano”. These cancers often arise from actinic keratoses (pre-cancerous spots), which is why we treat these aggressively. Squamous cell carcinomas can often spread to lymph nodes or other organs in the body and can even be fatal. For diagnosis an initial biopsy is necessary, followed by Mohs surgery for a higher cure rate. For a consultation please call (303) 744-1202.