George Miller developed an ulcer on his bottom lip that began to bleed. His doctor sent cell scrapings to a pathologist, and diagnosed Miller with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). According to TMD Limited, a medical tourism company, squamous cell carcinoma is the 2nd most common cancer in humans and other animals.

Squamous cell cancers can occur on the skin, lips, mouth, esophagus, bladder, prostate, lung, vagina and cervix. In 2010, there were more than 1 million new cases in the United States. Most are removed surgically, and the site is treated with external beam radiation or internal radiation (brachytherapy). Treatment is based on the size, type, location and depth of penetration, plus age and health condition of the patient. Physicians often use Mohs surgery to slice off the tumor, then remove a very thin layer around the lesion to check for malignant cells. If cancer cells are found, they slice off another layer and check again, until they reach a slice with no cancer cells. This surgery is most commonly done on the face and hands. Still, SCC tends to recur within 2 years at the same site, even with clean margins.

Risk factors include smoking, alcohol use and hematopoietic stem cell transplants. Over exposure to UV rays and exposure to arsenic in water in industrial areas also raise the risk of SCC.