Skin Cancer, malignant tumors of the skin Flashcards
Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer (NMSC) risk factors:
what is the most common cause of BCC?
Other than UV radiation, what are other factors?
- Occurs more frequently in fair skinned individuals in geographic areas with higher UV exposure
- UV radiation is the most common cause of BCC
- Also occur after ionizing radiation, arsenic or polycyclic hydrocarbon exposure
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
Of the subtypes, which one is the most common?
- Most common malignancy in the US
- An estimated 2.8 million are diagnosed annually in the US
- BCCs are rarely fatal, but can be highly disfiguring if allowed to grow.
Subtypes:
•Superficial (15%)
•Nodular (75%)**
–Micronodular
–Pigmented (6%)
- Infiltrative (5%)
- Sclerosing/ Morpheaform (3%)
Superficial basal cell carcinoma:
Superficial cell carcinoma
Nodular Basal Cell carcinoma
Raised papule or nodule with a central crater. In some cases, sides of crater are surfaces by telangiectatis vessels (from Goljan)
Basal cell carcinoma
Desmoplastic BCC
Pigmented BCC
BCC
What are the genetic defects in BCC?
Loss of function of _____ gene, which normally blocks _______.
What is a treatment drug that inhibits smoothened?
- The majority of BCCs have a loss of function of PTCH1 gene which normally acts to block smoothened (SMO) a transmembrane protein.
- **Vismodegib, an inhibitor of smoothened, was approved January 2012 for the treatment of advanced BCC
Actinic Keratosis
Intraepidermal neoplasia
It is a precursor for what type of cancer?
- AKs are the most common precancer affecting more than 58 million Americans
- Approximately 65 percent of all *squamous cell carcinomas and 36 percent of all basal cell carcinomas arise in lesions that previously were diagnosed as AKs
How do you treat it?
•Cryosurgery
–->Liquid nitrogen (boiling point of -196 C)
- Topical 5-fluoruracil
- Topical Imiquimod
- Topical Diclofenac
- Photodynamic therapy
- Sun protection
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)
Much more commonly in what kind of patients?
When SCC can begins within scars, skin ulcers or other areas of chronic injury and an SCC in these situations is called a _________.
- Second most common cutaneous malignancy.
- Occur much more commonly in immunosuppressed pts, especially organ transplant pts
- Risk factors: UV damage, thermal injury, radiation, HPV, burn scars (Marjolin’s ulcer) and chronic injury (i.e. EB)
SCC subtypes
SCC
SCC
Keratoacanthoma
Growth usually occurs rapidly, over _______.
Characterized by a crater with a ________ plug.
- Distribution- primarily sun-exposed skin
- Rapid growth over 6-8 weeks
- Size- 1-3 cm
•Crateriform endophytic and exophytic nodule with central keratin plug
•Complications- deep invasion without regression in 10-20%
Invasive Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)
Common in which part of the face?
- Hyperkeratotic papule with variable size and thickness
- Typically found on chronically sun damaged skin
- Metastasis occurs in 0.3-5%, but is more common in SCC of the lip (10-30%)
**Hyperkeratosis is thickening of the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the epidermis), often associated with the presence of an abnormal quantity of keratin, and also usually accompanied by an increase in the granular layer.
Skin cancer and transplant patients:
**Patients who have received an organ transplant have a higher risk than normal for developing skin cancers, in some cases up to 65 times the risk, compared with non-transplant patients.
In particular, transplant recipients have a significantly increased risk of developing squamous cell carcinomas. SCC is more likely to spread (metastatic SCC) in organ transplant recipients, and may lead to the death of the patient (from internet).
Which skin cancer is more likely to develop in the recipient of a transplant?
Which T cells are important in assessing the risk of developing a skin cancer for a transplant recipient?
- SCC = 65 fold risk
- BCC = 10 fold risk
- Melanoma = 3.4 fold risk (lowest)
- Kaposi’s sarcoma = **84 fold risk
What are some risk factors?
•Age, Skin type, UV radiation
- Genetic Factors
- HPV (in 65-90% of SCC)
•Level of immunosuppression:
–CD4 count
–Medications
–*Heart > Kidney > Liver