Squamous cell carcinoma of the lung natural history, complications, and prognosis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Shanshan Cen, M.D. [2] Maria Fernanda Villarreal, M.D. [3]

If left untreated, squamous cell carcinoma of the lung progression occurs slowly and is then followed by local invasion to lymph nodes and distant metastasis. Common sites of metastasis include liver, adrenal gland, bone, and brain. Complications of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, include pneumonia, pleural effusion, metastasis, and Horner’s syndrome. The 5-year survival rate of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, depends on the stage at diagnosis. The average survival rate ranges from 49% to 16%. Prognosis is generally regarded as poor, the 5-year recurrence rate of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung is 24%.

• The majority of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung are initially asymptomatic.^[1]
• The symptoms of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung usually develop in adult patients between 55 to 60 years
• Patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung may also experience non-specific symptoms, such as: chronic cough, hemoptysis, dyspnea, chest pain, dysphonia, dysphagia, lack of appetite, and fatigue.^[2]
• If left untreated, patients with non-small cell lung cancer may develop local invasion to lymph nodes and distant metastasis
• Common sites of metastasis include adrenal gland, bone, brain, and liver
• Patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the lung may develop symptoms, such as: paresthesias, bladder dysfunction, seizures, hemiplegia, cranial nerve palsies, confusion , personality changes, skeletal pain, and pleuritic pain.^[2]

• Common complications of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, include:^[1]

• Pneumonia
• Malignant pleural effusion
• Metastasis
• Horner’s syndrome

• The presence of metastasis is associated with a particularly poor prognosis
• The 5-year survival rate of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, depends on the stage at diagnosis
• The average survival rate ranges from 49% to 16%.^[1]
• Features associated with worse prognosis, include:

• Poorly differentiated tumor, and presence of necrosis
• DNA aneuploidy
• Poor performance status
• Presence of lymphatic invasion
• Invasion to the pulmonary artery
• Presence of satellite lesions
• Large tumor size (>3 cm)
• Presence of pulmonary symptoms
• Presence of regional or distant metastases

• Prognosis is generally regarded as poor, the 5-year recurrence rate of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung is 15%.^[1]

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