A type of cancer that starts in the squamous cells. Squamous cells are thin and flat and look like fish scales. They are found in the layer of tissue that makes up the surface of the skin and in the lining of organs of the respiratory and digestive tracts. They also make up the lining of blood vessels and hollow areas of the body. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin, anal, cervical, mouth, pharyngeal, esophageal and vaginal cancers.
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