[Multiple facial squamous cell carcinomas in a child, revealing a xeroderma pigmentosum]

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas of the nose in a child treated with external radiation therapy: a case report

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas are very rare in children. The recommended treatment for localized cancers is surgery with sufficient margins which can sometimes be mutilating especially for facial localizations. We report a rare case of facial skin carcinoma in a 13-year-old girl measuring 3 cm in diameter infiltrating the tip of the nose. The treatment was an exclusive external radiation therapy with a dose of 70 Gy in 35 fractions in standard fractionation. The technique used was intensity-modulated conformational radiotherapy. It was proposed as an alternative to surgery which could be mutilating. A complete tumour response was obtained with a good aesthetic result and without major toxicity.

A short review on DNA damage and repair effects in lip cancer

Increasing trend in oral cancer (0.6% per year) and its related mortality has been reported worldwide since 2010. The United States alone reports an increase of 57% within the past 10 years. This emphasizes the need not only for designing strategies of prevention and planning but also for an effective treatment regime for the various oral cancers. Cancers of the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor of the mouth, and hard palate have been primarily classified under the category of oral cancers. If left undiagnosed, these cancers can be life threatening. Amongst these, the most undesignated and understudied cancer type is the lip carcinoma, which is either categorized under oral cancer or/as well as skin cancer or head and neck cancer. However, lip cancer corresponds to 25-30% of all diagnosed oral cancers. Though the etiology of lip cancer is not yet fully understood, numerous risk factors involved in its development are now being studied. The cells in the lip region are continuously exposed to various DNA damaging agents from endogenous as well as exogenous sources. Flaws in DNA repair mechanisms involved in eliminating these damages may be linked to the origin of carcinogenesis. Accumulation of DNA damage and defect in repair mechanisms may play a role in lip carcinogenesis and progression. This literature review is an exhaustive compilation of the research work performed on the role of DNA damage and repair responses in lip carcinoma which will pave a path for researchers to identify predictive DNA repair biomarker/s for lip cancer, and its diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

Unusual intraoral cancer with unexpected outcome in a patient with xeroderma pigmentosum: An alert for antineoplastic treatment

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare autosomal disorder characterized by extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation. DNA repair mechanisms are impaired, and minimal sun exposure can lead to the development of cutaneous neoplasms in very young patients. Intraoral carcinomas are uncommon and, when present, are located mainly at the tongue tip. We report an unprecedented case of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the floor of mouth of a 23-year-old woman with XP. The patient was referred to the oncologist, and 2 months after surgical resection, she underwent a single session of chemotherapy plus radiotherapy. However, she died 73 hours after undergoing her first chemotherapy session. Considering the unexpected outcome of this case, we also investigated possible exacerbated adverse effects of antineoplastic treatments (especially cisplatin-based chemotherapy) in patients with XP and reviewed the main characteristics of the disease, especially cases with oral manifestations reported in the literature.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma in African Children with Xeroderma Pigmentosum: Three Case Reports

INTRODUCTION

Xeroderma pigmentosum is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disease. This disease predisposes patients to early-onset skin cancers, particularly squamous cell carcinoma. Here, we report 3 pediatric cases, including 2 deaths.

OBSERVATION

The subjects included 2 boys and 1 girl with skin type VI. All subjects were from consanguineous marriages, and the average age was 7.6 years. The patients all had ulcerative budding tumor lesions in the cephalic region, and the mean disease duration was 18 months. In all 3 cases, the diagnosis of xeroderma pigmentosum was made before the poikilodermal appearance of sun-exposed areas and photophobia. Neurological-type mental retardation was noted in 1 case. Histology confirmed squamous cell carcinoma in all 3 cases. The evolutions were marked by the death of 2 children (cases 1 and 3). In one case, the outcome was favorable following cancer excision and subsequent chemotherapy with adjuvant radiotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Squamous cell carcinoma is a serious complication related to xeroderma pigmentosum in Sub-Saharan Africa. Prevention is based on the early diagnosis of xeroderma pigmentosum, black skin photoprotection, screening and early treatment of lesions, and genetic counseling.

A clinical study on survival rate of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lower lip in Kosovo

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to find out the survival rate of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lower lip in Kosovo and to see the effect of stage of disease on the success of surgical treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

789 patients with SCCLL who were referred to the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Clinical Centre of Kosovo, were examined during a period of 20 years (between 1993 and 2013). 614 (77.82%) of these patients received treatment and have regularly visited the department once every 3 months for post-operative controls. Data have been collected from these 614 patients for 10 years; thus the follow-up period lasts for 10 years for every patient under control. The collected data were analysed using Chi square test. Patients were classified by sex, aetiology, stage of the disease, location of the disease, the treatment patients received, metastasis rate and survival rate.

RESULTS

The most susceptible patients were those at ages between 50 and 70. The youngest patient was 8 years old whereas the oldest was 92. The male-female ratio was 5:1. 57% of the patients had been working outdoors and had been exposed to sunlight. Ten years survival rate for the Stages I, II, III and IV was 91.7%, 83.7%, 28% and 11.4% respectively.

CONCLUSION

It was found that the success of the surgery was closely related with the stage of disease and early diagnosis. Training the relevant parties (i.e., the people, family doctors etc.) on early diagnosis would improve the survival rate.