What is squamous cell carcinoma like?

Depends on site: Squamous cell carcinomas of the skin are usually slow growing and metastasize only infrequently. Squamous cell carcinomas of the lung are lethal and a majority of the patients are dead within a year. Squamous cell carcinomas of the esophagus, cervix, oro-pharynx etc fall in between.

The description is: The way cells look under the microscope, like 'tiles'. What it is "like" depends on where it arises: from skin, from cervix, from lung, from esophagus. Skin is very common: it can be a non-heainin, enlarging oozing sore.