PATH - Skin Cancers

Question 1

Basal cell carcinoma

Answer 1

Most common skin cancer

Locally invasive, but *rarely metastasizes

Pink, pearly nodules, commonly with *telangiectasias, rolled borders, central crusting or ulceration

Basal cell tumors have “palisading” nuclei

BCCs also appear as nonhealing ulcers with infiltrating growth or as
a scaling plaque (superficial BCC)

Question 2

Squamous cell carcinoma

Answer 2

Second most common skin cancer

Commonly appears on face, lower lip, ears, hands.

Locally invasive, may *spread to lymph nodes, and will *rarely metastasize.

Ulcerative red lesions with frequent scale.

Associated with *chronic draining sinuses.

• keratin “pearls”
• Actinic keratosis, a scaly plaque, is a *precursor to squamous cell carcinoma.
• Keratoacanthoma is a variant that grows rapidly (4–6 weeks) and may regress spontaneously over months

Question 3

Melanoma

Answer 3

Common tumor with *significant risk of metastasis.

• S-100 tumor marker
• Depth of tumor correlates with risk of metastasis.
• BRAF V600E mutation