The measurement of constitutive and facultative skin pigmentation and estimation of sun exposure in caucasians with basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous malignant melanoma

BACKGROUND Public awareness for BCC is particularly important, as its major risk factors — increased sun exposure and number of sunburns — are largely preventable. OBJECTIVE Determine whether social media posts from celebrities has an affect on public awareness of basal cell carcinoma. METHODS We used Google Trends to investigate whether public awareness for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) increased following social media posts from Hugh Jackman. To forecast the expected search interest for BCC, melanoma and sunscreen in the event that each celebrity had not posted on social media, we used the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) algorithm. RESULTS We found that social media posts from Hugh Jackman, a well-known actor, increased relative search interest above the expected search interest calculated using an ARIMA forecasting model. CONCLUSIONS Our results also suggest that increasing awareness by Skin Cancer Awareness Month may be less effective for BCC, but a celebrity spokesperson has the potential to increase awareness. BCC is largely preventable, so increasing awareness could lead to a decrease in incidence.

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Colonisation of basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis by malignant melanoma in situ in a patient with xeroderma pigmentosum variant

Clinics and Practice ◽

10.4081/cp.2012.e47 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 47 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Louise J. Smith ◽

Ehab A. Husain

Keyword(s):

Malignant Melanoma ◽

Basal Cell Carcinoma ◽

Cell Carcinoma ◽

Basal Cell ◽

Actinic Keratosis ◽

Xeroderma Pigmentosum ◽

Clinical Impression ◽

Anatomical Site ◽

History Of

Although malignant melanoma (MM) and both basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and actinic keratosis (AK) are sun-induced lesions, the coexistence of these entities at the same anatomical site (collision tumour) is exceedingly rare. We report the case of a 54-year-old woman with a known history of xeroderma pigmentosum variant (XPV) who presented with 2 separate skin lesions over the middle and upper right forearm, respectively. The clinical impression was that of BCCs or squamous cell lesions. On histological examination, both specimens showed features of melanoma <em>in situ </em>(MIS). In the first lesion, MIS merged with and colonised a superficial and focally invasive BCC. In the second lesion, MIS merged with an AK. No separate invasive nests of malignant melanoma were seen in either specimen. The atypical melanocytes were highlighted by Melan-A and HMB-45 immunostaining, whereas the epithelial cells in both the BCC and AK stained with the pancytokeratin MNF-116. The patient had a previous history of multiple MMs and non-melanomatous skin cancers and finally developed widespread metastatic malignant melanoma, which proved fatal. The rare and interesting phenomenon of collision tumours may pose diagnostic difficulties. To our knowledge, this is the first reported simultaneous presentation of cytologically malignant collision tumours in a patient with XPV.

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Geographic Pathology of Skin Cancer

Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery ◽

10.1177/120347549900300302 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 120-122

Author(s):

Robert Jackson

Keyword(s):

Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽

Skin Cancer ◽

Basal Cell Carcinoma ◽

Cell Carcinoma ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Squamous Cell ◽

Basal Cell ◽

Sun Exposure

Background: The development of knowledge concerning the role of sun exposure in causing skin cancer has been a gradual one. Objective: This article reviews the article by Urbach who used manikin coated with an ultraviolet dosimeter to see exactly where on the head and neck the exposure was greatest. Conclusion: Urbach showed that the areas of greatest sun exposure on his manikins corresponded with the location of 95% of squamous cell carcinoma and 66% of basal cell carcinoma. He also clearly showed the importance of scattered sky and reflected radiation.

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