Common Skin Cancers

Question 1

What is the most common cause of cancer?

Answer 1

Skin cancer

Question 2

What is the most common subtype of basal cell carcinoma?

Answer 2

Nodular

Question 3

Where do basal cell carcinomas arise?

Answer 3

The lowest layer of the epidermis from pluripotents cells

Question 4

What mutation causes basal cell carcinoma?

Answer 4

Mutations in the hedgehog pathway most commonly in the patched 1 gene (tumor suppressor gene) which inhibits smoothened.

Question 5

Do basal cell carcinomas readily metastasize?

Answer 5

They very rarely do.

Question 6

What is the treatment for BCC?

Answer 6

Bismodegib, a small molecular inhibitor of smoothened

Question 7

What pre-malignant skin lesion gives rise to approximately 65% of squamous cell carcinomas and 36% BCC?

Answer 7

Actinic keratosis

Question 8

What is used to treat actinic keratosis?

Answer 8

cryogenic surgery, topical treatments and phototherapy

Question 9

What is the second most common cutaneous malignancy?

Answer 9

Squamous cell carcinoma

Question 10

What are the three subtypes of squamous cell carcinoma?

Answer 10

1. Bowen’s disease
2. Keratoacanthoma
3. Invasive squamous cell carcinoma

Question 11

What is Bowen’s Disease?

Answer 11

It is a subtype of SCC. Found on the anal and genital skin. Linked to human papilloma virus.

Question 12

Where is Bowen’s disease found?

Answer 12

Epidermis

Question 13

What is a keratoacanthoma?

Answer 13

Solitary lesion that develops quickly of 6-8 weeks it is 1-3 cm keratin filled central crater

Question 14

SCC found where are characterized by more metastasis?

Answer 14

Lip

Question 15

What type of skin cancer is more common in immunocompromised patients: BCC or SCC?

Answer 15

SCC

Question 16

What does ABCDE stand for in malignant melanoma guidelines?

Answer 16

A= asymmetry
B= border
C= color 
D= Diameter 6mm 
E= Evolution

Question 17

Are females or males at higher risk for developing NMSC?

Answer 17

Females

Question 18

What is the distribution of melanoma in males?

Answer 18

Back

Question 19

What is the distribution of melanoma in females?

Answer 19

Back and legs

Question 20

What is the most common clinical variant for MM?

Answer 20

Superficial spreading

Question 21

What is the most important indicator of prognosis for all subtypes of melanoma?

Answer 21

Breslow depth

Question 22

What is Breslow depth?

Answer 22

The maximal thickness of tumor invasion

Question 23

What is the prognosis for a Breslow depth of 4mm?

Answer 23

Poor prognosis

Question 24

What are the Clark levels?

Answer 24

Level I- Stays in the epidermis 
Level II- Begun to invade upper dermis
Level II- Involves most of the upper dermis
Level IV- Reached lower dermis 
Level V- Invading subQ

Question 25

What genetic mutation leads to melanoma?

Answer 25

BRAF

Question 26

What is the treatment for melanoma?

Answer 26

Vemurafenib which is a BRAF inhibitor

Question 27

Where does the malignancy in Kaposi’s sarcoma occur?

Answer 27

Endothelium

Question 28

What is Kaposi’s sarcoma triggered by?

Answer 28

HHV-8

Question 29

What are the three clinical subtypes of Kaposi’s Sarcoma?

Answer 29

1. Classic (Eastern European descent)
2. Lympadenopathic (Aggressive, Equatorial Africa, and rapidly fatal in young men)
3. AIDS

Question 30

What are four forms of therapy for Kaposi’s Sarcoma?

Answer 30

1. Radiation Therapy
2. Excision
3. Interferon Alpha
4. Chemotherapy