A. Adams1,2, B. De’Ambrosis1,3, D. Whiteman1,2
Keratinocyte cancers (KC) or commonly known as NMSC are the most common cancers worldwide. Perineural invasion (PNI) by these malignancies is increasingly recognised as an important adverse prognostic factor.1 We present the experience of the QSkin study, the world’s largest prospective cohort study focussed on cancers of the skin (n = 43,794 participants) together with the Skin Tumours in Allograft Recipients (STAR) study (n = 410 participants). In a subsample of QSkin participants and the STAR cohort we reviewed the epidemiological and histopathology data of patients with confirmed BCC or cutaneous SCC (cSCC) as well as KC with incidental PNI. In the QSkin data there were 3780 patients with BCCs and 33 had histology proven PNI. In the cSCC group there were 1925 patients and 5 had PNI. In the STAR study, there were 198 patients with BCCs and 4 participants had incidental PNI. In the cSCC group there were 210 participants and 16 were identified with incidental PNI on histology.
Individuals with skin type I and II have the highest risk for skin cancer development.2 Here we describe the prevalence and characteristics of the patients from these two groups who developed BCC and cSCC and those who had KC with incidental PNI.
1. Aakriti Gupta, Michael Veness, Brian De’Ambrosis, Dinesh Selva, and Shyamala C Huilgol. Management of squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas of the head and neck with perineural invasion.
2. http://www.cancer.org.au/about-cancer/types-of-cancer/skin-cancer.html