Multiple basal cell carcinomas in a patient with acute myeloid leukaemia and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.
Skin cancer is a well-recognized risk of prolonged immunosuppression, for example, following renal transplantation. These tumours contrast with idiopathic lesions in that squamous cell, rather than basal cell carcinomas usually predominate. We report a Caucasian female who developed multiple basal cell carcinomas following protracted cytotoxic therapy for acute myeloid leukaemia and subsequently chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. No other clinical risk factors nor relevant polymorphisms of genes encoding for detoxifying enzymes were identified. Immune suppression is a well-recognized cause of multiple skin tumours, the most striking increase usually being of squamous cell carcinomas. We believe this woman is representative of a subgroup of immunosuppressed patients who, for as yet poorly understood reasons, have a predisposition to basal cell, rather than squamous cell carcinoma accrual.
Ramsay
H M
HM
Department of Dermatology, North Staffordshire Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK.
Fryer
A
A
Strange
R C
RC
Smith
A G
AG
D000208:Acute Disease; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000235:genetics; D019389:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2D6 / Q000235:genetics; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000473:pathology*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1; D019389:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2D6; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; C413545:glutathione S-transferase T1