Causes & Risk Factors Of Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Weakened Immune System
Individuals who have a weakened immune system for any reason are more likely to develop cancers of the skin, including squamous cell carcinoma. A number of mechanisms can cause an individual to have a weakened immune system. Individuals who have been the recipient of a donor organ have to take drugs that suppress their immune system to prevent organ rejection. Some individuals are affected by diseases that compromise their immune systems, like HIV and AIDS. Some individuals have a condition that requires the use of corticosteroid medications and other immune-suppressing drugs to stop their immune system from attacking healthy tissues.
The human immune system contains some cells with the ability to detect and flag cancer cells as abnormal so other immune cells can destroy them. While the immune system does not always eradicate all pre-cancerous cells on its own, it does aid in helping prevent the growth of malignancy in general. An individual who does not have a healthy immune system is more susceptible to developing not only squamous cell carcinoma but any type of cancer.
