MS - Path (Skin cancer) Flashcards
What are the 3 kinds of skin cancer?
(1) Basal cell carcinoma (2) Squamous cell carcinoma (3) Melanoma
What is the most common skin cancer?
Basal cell carcinoma
In what areas of the body is basal cell carcinoma found?
Found in sun-exposed areas of body
What is the invasion/metastasis potential of basal cell carcinoma?
Locally invasive, but almost never metastasizes
Describe the classic physical appearance of basal cell carcinoma. Include 2 other variants of appearance.
Pink, pearly nodules, commonly with telangiectasias, rolled borders, and central crusting or ulceration. BCCs also appear as nonhealing ulcers with infiltrating growth or as a scaling plaque (superficial BCC).
What is a key histologic finding of basal cell carcinoma?
Basal cell tumors have “palisading” nuclei
What is the second most common skin cancer?
Squamous cell carcinoma
What are 3 causes/conditions to associated with squamous cell carcinoma?
Associated with excessive exposure to sunlight, immunosuppression, and occasionally arsenic exposure
What are 4 body parts where squamous cell carcinoma commonly appears?
Commonly appears on face, lower lip, ears, and hands
What is the potential for invasion/metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma?
Locally invasive, but may spread to lymph nodes and will rarely metastasize
What is the classic physical appearance of squamous cell carcinoma? What is its classic finding on histology?
Ulcerative red lesions with frequent scale. Histopathology: keratin “pearls”
With what other ailment is squamous cell carcinoma associated?
Associated with chronic draining sinuses
What are 2 precursors/variants to squamous cell carcinoma?
(1) Actinic keratosis (2) Keratoacanthoma
What defines Actinic keratosis? To which skin cancer is it related?
A scaly plaque, is a precursor to squamous cell carcinoma
What defines Keratoacanthoma? To which skin cancer is it related?
A variant (of squamous cell carcinoma) that grows rapidly (4-6 weeks) and may regress spontaneously over months
What is a common skin tumor with significant risk for metastasis?
Melanoma
What is a tumor marker for melanoma?
S-100 tumor marker
With what exposure is melanoma associated? What patient population is at increased risk?
Associated with sunlight exposure; fair-skinned persons at increased risk
What correlates with risk of metastasis of melanoma?
Depth of tumor correlates with risk of metastasis
What are the key criteria to look for in distinguishing melanoma?
Look for the ABCDEs: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter > 6 mm, and Evolution over time
At least how many types of melanoma are there? What are they?
At least 4 different types of melanoma. (1) Superficial spreading (2) Nodular (3) lentingo maligna melanoma (4) acrolentiginous melanoma
What mutation often drives melanoma?
Often driven by activating mutation in BRAF kinase
What is the primary treatment for melanoma? What is another possible treatment, for what type of melanoma, and in what patient population?
Primary treatment is excision with appropriately wide margins. Metastatic or unresectable melanoma in patients with BRAF V600E mutation may benefit from vemurafenib, a BRAF kinase inhibitor
