Modifiable risk-factors for keratinocyte cancers in Australia: a case-control study

Keratinocyte cancer is the most common malignancy in Caucasians. The aim of this study was to investigate risk-factors responsible for development of keratinocyte cancer in Australia. A case-control study was conducted, including 112 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 95 cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and 122 controls. Freckling during adolescence (SCC: odds ratio (OR) 1.04, p < 0.01; BCC: OR 1.05, p < 0.01), propensity to sunburn (SCC: OR 2.75, p = 0.01, BCC: OR 2.68 p = 0.01) and high cumulative sun-exposure (SCC: OR 2.43, p = 0.04; BCC: OR 2.36 p = 0.04) were independent risk-factors for both SCC and BCC. This study provides further evidence that a sun-sensitive phenotype and excessive sun-exposure during adulthood contribute to the risk of developing keratinocyte cancer. Wearing a hat, long-sleeved shirts, and sunscreen did not significantly reduce the risk of keratinocyte cancer in this study

Human papillomavirus is basal cell carcinoma - a pilot study

Objectives: The study investigated whether test results for human papillomavirus (HPV) are influenced by the sampling site of the specimens. \ud \ud Methods: The present study was a pilot study for a large case-control study currently been conducted and included 14 immune-competent north Australian patients with histologically confirmed basal cell carcinoma. Specimens assessed were the cancer tissue, peri-lesional skin, healthy skin, and eyebrow hairs. HPV types were identified by single-tube nested 'hanging droplet' polymerase chain reaction. \ud \ud Results: HPV was isolated from four patients (28.6%; 95%-confidence interval = [4.0, 32.7]) with up to three of the samples from these patients testing positive for HPV. The prevalence of HPV and the types involved varied with the sampling site. All healthy skin samples were negative for HPV. \ud \ud Conclusions: HPV results varied considerably with the sample site in patients with basal cell carcinoma. Therefore, the authors suggest that standardising specimen collection for HPV analysis to the cancer site should reduce the possibility of detecting HPV types unrelated to the development of skin cancer