FELINE CUTANEOUS SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA

The skin and subcutis are common sites of primary neoplasia in the cat , rivaled in incidence only by tumors arising from the lymphoid system . Retrospective studies agree that the four most frequently diagnosed cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors in the cat are squamous cell carcino ma (SCC), basal cell tumor, mast cell tumor, and fibrosarcoma. indeed, although 18 different tumor types were recognized in one study, these four neoplasms comprised 77% of the cases.(1) This paper will focus o n the development, clinical presentation, biologic behavior, appropria te diagnostic evaluation, and treatment alternatives for SCC arising f rom the skin of cats.