Skin cancer Flashcards
Epidemiology, location, and course of basal cell carcinoma (BCC)
Most common skin cancer
Found in sun-exposed areas of body (eg, face)
Locally invasive, but rarely metastasize
Appearance of BCC
Waxy, pink, pearly nodules, commonly with telangiectasias, rolled borders, central crusting or ulceration
also appear as nonhealing ulcers with infiltrating growth/scaling plaque (superficial BCC)
Basal cell tumors have “palisading” (aligned) nuclei
Epidemiology, course of keratoacanthoma
Seen in middle-aged and older adults
Rapidly growing, resembles squamous cell carcinoma
Appearance of keratoacanthoma and course
Presents as dome-shaped nodule with keratin-filled center
Grows rapidly (4-6 weeks) and may spontaneously regress
Describe and name the tumour marker in melanoma
Common tumor with significant risk of metastasis
S-100 tumor marker
Often driven by activating mutation in BRAF kinase
Associations and who is at risk for melanomas
Associated with dysplastic nevi; people with lighter skin tones are at increased risk
Depth of tumor (Breslow thickness) correlates with risk of metastasis
How is melanoma identified by appearance
ABCDEs: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter > 6 mm, and Evolution over time
What are the different types of melanoma
Superficial spreading, nodular, lentigo maligna, and acral lentiginous (highest prevalence in people with darker skin tones)
Tx for melanoma
Primary treatment is excision with appropriately wide margins
Advanced melanoma also treated with immunotherapy (eg, ipilimumab) and/or BRAF inhibitors (eg, vemurafenib)
Squamous cell carcinoma associations
Second most common skin cancer
Associated with immunosuppression, chronic nonhealing wounds, and occasionally arsenic exposure
Marjolin ulcer definition
SCC arising in chronic wounds or scars; usually develops > 20 years after insult
Where does SCC appear
Commonly appears on face, lower lip, ears, hands. Locally invasive, may spread to lymph nodes, and will rarely metastasize
Ulcerative red lesions
Histopathology of SCC
keratin “pearls”
Actinic keratosis definition
Scaly plaque, is a precursor to SCC
