title: Basal cell carcinoma of the earlobe after auricular acupuncture.
abstract: The genesis of familial and sporadic basal cell carcinomas involves activation of the Sonic hedgehog signal transduction pathway. Other known factors for the development of basal cell carcinoma are ultraviolet exposure, X-rays, race, age, gender and decreased DNA repair capacity. We here report the case of a right earlobe sporadic basal cell carcinoma in a 65-year-old woman. This case is unusual because of its earlobe localization and its association with multiple auricular acupuncture treatments. This observation suggests a connection between local traumas, which occur in the course of acupuncture treatment and ear piercing, and the genesis of basal cell carcinoma. The incidence of minor adverse events associated with acupuncture is high, but serious events are uncommon. Acupuncture is not known to date for promoting the development of tumors. This connection remains to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, DHURDV, University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland. mcvpb@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brouard
authors.forename: Gürkan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vecchietti
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chavaz
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harms
mesh_terms: D020831:Acupuncture, Ear / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000368:Aged; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004428:Ear Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004431:Ear, External / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans