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Performance of Staging Systems for Cutaneous SCC

Voller LM, Hirotsu KE, Aasi SZ, et al.
Dermatologic Surgery (2026)

JC: March 2024

This study compared the performance of various staging systems (AJCC, BWH, UICC) for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in predicting clinical outcomes. The analysis identified which staging system best stratifies patients by recurrence and metastatic risk, informing clinical decision-making and treatment planning.

Take-Home Messages

  • •The BWH staging system demonstrates superior prognostic discrimination for cSCC compared to AJCC in many studies.
  • •Accurate staging of cSCC is essential for risk stratification and guides decisions about adjuvant treatment and surveillance intensity.

Topic

SCC Risk & PNI

Cutaneous SCC risk stratification, perineural invasion, metastasis

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Abstract

Data are limited regarding the performance of staging systems for non-head and neck cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (non-HNCSCCs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition (AJCC8) staging system in predicting poor outcomes in non-HNCSCCs. Demographics, tumor features and stages, and outcomes for non-HNCSCCs were collected retrospectively from 11 institutions in two countries. Poor outc...

Literature review only. This summary is an editorial interpretation and may not reflect the complete findings of the original publication. Always refer to the full-text article for clinical decision-making.