Journal article
Desmoplastic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Is an Aggressive and Potentially Fatal Skin Cancer: A Systematic Review
Journal of Cutaneous Pathology, Vol.53(6), pp.551-561
2026
PMID: 41833367
Appears in UniSC Supported Open Access Outputs
Abstract
The incidence and mortality of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) are increasing. Desmoplastic cSCC (dcSCC) is an uncommon yet highly aggressive variant which has received relatively little attention in the literature. No systematic reviews of dcSCC are currently available. This paper aims to summarize the current understanding of the behavior of dcSCC by conducting a systematic review of published series with particular focus on outcomes. A comprehensive search was conducted for original series in English. Six studies reporting a total of 286 dcSCC were included in the final analysis. Most series were single site and retrospective. Pooled estimates demonstrated local recurrence rate 30% (95% CI: 24%–36%, p = 0.765), nodal metastasis 17% (95% CI: 12%–22%, p = 0.158), distant metastasis 5% (95% CI: 2%–9%, p = 0.574) and disease-specific death 12% (95% CI: 3%–36%, p = 0.047), outcomes which are considerably worse than non-dcSCC. The findings confirm the aggressive nature of dcSCC and suggest early aggressive treatment is warranted. However, given the limitations of existing studies, there is a need for large, prospective, multicentre studies to better define prognostic factors and optimize management strategies.
Details
- Title
- Desmoplastic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Is an Aggressive and Potentially Fatal Skin Cancer: A Systematic Review
- Authors
- Andrew Dettrick (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine CoastHaris Mohammed - Griffith UniversityThomas Hardman - Sunshine Coast University HospitalNicole Buddle - Sunshine Coast University HospitalRyan Livingston - Sunshine Coast University HospitalDuncan Lambie - The University of QueenslandRebecca Donkin - University of the Sunshine Coast
- Publication details
- Journal of Cutaneous Pathology, Vol.53(6), pp.551-561
- Publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
- Date published
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.1111/cup.70079
- ISSN
- 1600-0560
- PMID
- 41833367
- Copyright note
- © 2026 The Author(s). Journal of Cutaneous Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
- Data Availability
- The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
- Grant note
- This work was supported by Australia Government, Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health - Biomedicine; School of Health; Cancer Research Cluster
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991216133002621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Dermatology
- Pathology
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