open access
Characteristics of basal cell carcinoma and relations of their development with the sonic hedgehog pathway
open access
Abstract
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer in Caucasian race. In recent years, we have observed a growing number of patients with BCC. Furthermore, the incidence of BCC is rising in younger populations, which results in many scientific studies on its pathogenesis and new treatment. BCC is a locally malignant, slow-growing tumor, with low morality rates, although sometimes may be locally aggressive and leads to destruction of circumfluent tissues. The widely recognized risk factors for the BCC development are: low skin phenotype, elderliness, exposure to carcinogens, for example arsenic, oil or ionising radiation. But the most important risk factor is excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The fact that almost 80% of all BCCs are localized on sun-exposed skin, namely the head, neck, and hands, confirms the essential role of ultraviolet radiation in skin cancerogenesis. Genetic factors also play an important role in BCC development. In the last decade, the role of the sonic hedgehog pathway in their pathogenesis has been explored.
Abstract
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer in Caucasian race. In recent years, we have observed a growing number of patients with BCC. Furthermore, the incidence of BCC is rising in younger populations, which results in many scientific studies on its pathogenesis and new treatment. BCC is a locally malignant, slow-growing tumor, with low morality rates, although sometimes may be locally aggressive and leads to destruction of circumfluent tissues. The widely recognized risk factors for the BCC development are: low skin phenotype, elderliness, exposure to carcinogens, for example arsenic, oil or ionising radiation. But the most important risk factor is excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation. The fact that almost 80% of all BCCs are localized on sun-exposed skin, namely the head, neck, and hands, confirms the essential role of ultraviolet radiation in skin cancerogenesis. Genetic factors also play an important role in BCC development. In the last decade, the role of the sonic hedgehog pathway in their pathogenesis has been explored.
Keywords
basal cell carcinoma, sonic hedgehog pathway, non-melanoma skin cancer, risk factors
Title
Characteristics of basal cell carcinoma and relations of their development with the sonic hedgehog pathway
Journal
Issue
Article type
Review paper
Pages
1-5
Published online
2016-01-27
Page views
1117
Article views/downloads
11186
Bibliographic record
Forum Dermatologicum 2015;1(1):1-5.
Keywords
basal cell carcinoma
sonic hedgehog pathway
non-melanoma skin cancer
risk factors
Authors
Dorota Sobolewska-Sztychny
Aleksandra Lesiak