Anyone had actinic keratosis turn into squamous cell carcinoma?

Thank you for the links.
Throughout the summer, I had a non-healing lesion on my lower lip that was biopsied in early October. Result: actinic keratosis. After the biopsy, the lesion was gone and my biopsy site healed.
However, since then, I have new lesions both on the lower lip and inside the cheek. Is it normal for actinic keratosis to suddenly erupt again and spread from the lower lip to the inside of the mouth?
Wondering how I should proceed. Dermatologist or ENT doc?

Yes, I have had several surgeries to remove squamous cell carcinomas and one Mohs surgery to remove an infiltrative basal cell carcinoma. Actinic keratosis is a precursor to these kinds of skin cancer. My dermatologist says the stage for development of actinic keratosis is set, in many cases, years ago from prolonged exposure to sun especially without the protection of sunscreen. Actinic keratosis is not a condition that would occur inside the mouth which is lined with a mucous membrane and has no keratin. So I would have that checked out.
I have had several treatments with fluorouracil cream which is applied over a course of 2 to 4 weeks. Another product is efudex. Both are meant to rid one of actinic keratosis before they become cancerous. Interestingly, these creams will expose heretofore unseen actinic keratoses before application.
As the course of the treatment continues irritated red lesions appear representing these actininic keratoses. There are several studies that provide convincing evidence that taking 500mg of Niacin twice daily can curb the incidence of actinic keratosis by as much as 23%. Bottom line is WEAR SUNSCREEN!

Yes, I have had several surgeries to remove squamous cell carcinomas and one Mohs surgery to remove an infiltrative basal cell carcinoma. Actinic keratosis is a precursor to these kinds of skin cancer. My dermatologist says the stage for development of actinic keratosis is set, in many cases, years ago from prolonged exposure to sun especially without the protection of sunscreen. Actinic keratosis is not a condition that would occur inside the mouth which is lined with a mucous membrane and has no keratin. So I would have that checked out.
I have had several treatments with fluorouracil cream which is applied over a course of 2 to 4 weeks. Another product is efudex. Both are meant to rid one of actinic keratosis before they become cancerous. Interestingly, these creams will expose heretofore unseen actinic keratoses before application.
As the course of the treatment continues irritated red lesions appear representing these actininic keratoses. There are several studies that provide convincing evidence that taking 500mg of Niacin twice daily can curb the incidence of actinic keratosis by as much as 23%. Bottom line is WEAR SUNSCREEN!

@cfbauer Like you, I have had the same things happen to me. In 2008 they removed a amelanotic [colorless] melanoma on my right forearm, resulting in 32 stitches. Before that it wasn't unusual for me to have actinic keratosis removed at every skin check, or a basal cell removal. I can recall all the way back to the late 80's.

Using fluorouracil cream does indeed pronounce the "hidden" keratosis spots. It freaked me out the first time it happened; I went running back to the dermatologist, since they hadn't told me about that side effect!

I have had several spots that were treated as actinic keratosis morph into squamous cell issues. The latest one is in the middle of my left eyebrow, treated with MOHS surgery. While it was treated for a couple years with the frozen nitrogen, that wasn't enough. Being very watchful, and knowing your own skin and conditions, is critical to good health. Two years ago MOHS surgery also was used to treat anodular basal cell skin cancer near my collarbone that had spread out below the skin surface, resulting in an interesting "J" shaped incision and scar.

Yep, wear your sunscreen all year around.
Ginger

Yes, I have had several surgeries to remove squamous cell carcinomas and one Mohs surgery to remove an infiltrative basal cell carcinoma. Actinic keratosis is a precursor to these kinds of skin cancer. My dermatologist says the stage for development of actinic keratosis is set, in many cases, years ago from prolonged exposure to sun especially without the protection of sunscreen. Actinic keratosis is not a condition that would occur inside the mouth which is lined with a mucous membrane and has no keratin. So I would have that checked out.
I have had several treatments with fluorouracil cream which is applied over a course of 2 to 4 weeks. Another product is efudex. Both are meant to rid one of actinic keratosis before they become cancerous. Interestingly, these creams will expose heretofore unseen actinic keratoses before application.
As the course of the treatment continues irritated red lesions appear representing these actininic keratoses. There are several studies that provide convincing evidence that taking 500mg of Niacin twice daily can curb the incidence of actinic keratosis by as much as 23%. Bottom line is WEAR SUNSCREEN!

Hello, if you don’t mind me asking. How long ago were you diagnosed? I was just diagnosed on Sunday 11/27/22 and I am terrified! I see the ENT today because I had a small skin tag on my tongue that was sent for biopsy and that was positive for squamous cell carcinoma. What advice can you offer me?

Over the years (probably 10) I have had a low grade "in situ" malignant melanoma removed from my neck and several squamous cell carcinomas removed from my face and one from my ear. Most recently (6 weeks ago) I had a Mohs surgery on the left side of my nose for an infiltrative basal cell carcinoma. I live at high altitude where UV light exposure is intense. Best advice is, of course, early intervention. Your skin tag almost certainly has nothing to do with UV light exposure so is likely unrelated to what set me up for my various cancers. Also, the fact that yours is a skin tag seems to bode well for a very successful surgery. It would be a more difficult surgery if the carcinoma was part of what is called the stroma of the tongue i.e. the body or substance of the tongue. Disclaimer....I am not giving out information as a MD but as a veterinary surgeon who has similar familiarity with tissue and cancers. Best of luck, but I don't think you will need that as I have a good feeling about your outcome.