Non-melanoma skin cancers

Question 1

What are the two types of non-melanoma skin cancers?

Answer 1

Squamous cell carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma

Question 2

Features of BCC

Answer 2

Usually present as a translucent, slow growing lump or a non-healing ulcer.
Painless
Visible aborising (branching) blood vessels
May invade locally but unlikely to metastasise.
Can present as a scaly plaque.
Rodent ulcer (inner ulceration)

Question 3

Features of SCC

Answer 3

Can present as warty, crusty or non healing ulcers.
Usually on sun-damaged skin
Fast growing
Painful
Poor prognosis and likely to metastasise.
Precursor lesions such as Actinic keratosis and Bowens disease.

Question 4

Actinic Keratosis

Answer 4

Precancerous skin lesions

Question 5

Bowens disease

Answer 5

Erythamatous plaque.

Question 6

Xeroderma Pigmentosum

Answer 6

Sun damaged cells need nucleotide excision repair (NER) to fix damaged DNA

Question 7

Symptoms of xeroderma Pigmentosum

Answer 7

Photosensitivity
Neurological degeneration
Increase risk of other cancers
skin cancers on UV exposed sites.

Question 8

Albinism

Answer 8

Lack of melanocytes or melanocytes that can’t produce pigment.

Question 9

Naevoid Basal cell carcinoma (Gorlin’s) syndrome

Answer 9

Autosomal dominant familial cancer syndrome

Major features include- palmar pits, jaw cysts, ectopic calcification, early onset/multiple BCC’s.