Basal Cell Carcinoma News and Research

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Basal cell cancer begins in the lowest layer of the epidermis, the basal cell layer. About 8 out of 10 skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas. They usually begin on areas exposed to the sun, such as the head and neck. Basal cell carcinoma was once found mostly in middle-aged or older people. But now it is also being seen in younger people. This may be because people are spending more time in the sun without protecting their skin.

Basal cell carcinoma tends to grow slowly. It is very rare for a basal cell cancer to spread to distant parts of the body (metastasize). But if it is not treated, it can grow into nearby areas and spread into the bone or other tissues beneath the skin.

After treatment, basal cell carcinoma can come back (recur) in the same place on the skin. New basal cell cancers can also start in other places on the skin. As many as half of the people who have one basal cell cancer will get a new skin cancer within 5 years.

People with atopy have lower prevalence of cancers in extracutaneous sites and reduced melanoma risk

Fewer cases of melanoma were observed in people with a history of atopic diseases, such as allergic asthma or rhinitis, than in nonatopic people.

6 Mar 2023

Immunosuppressive drug methotrexate linked to increased risk of three types of skin cancer

The immunosuppressive drug methotrexate (MTX) can be linked to an elevated risk of three types of skin cancer, a new study by University of Gothenburg researchers shows.

7 Feb 2023

Study finds fewer cases of melanoma among regular users of vitamin D supplements

Fewer cases of melanoma were observed among regular users of vitamin D supplements than among non-users, a new study finds.

9 Jan 2023

The potential of grape consumption to modulate UV-induced skin erythema

A recent Antioxidants study evaluated the effect of grape consumption on reducing UV-induced skin erythema.

2 Dec 2022

Novel skin imaging technology improves the accuracy of basal cell carcinoma diagnosis

A novel imaging technique significantly improves the accuracy of the diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) – the most frequent skin cancer – compared to clinical and dermoscopic examinations alone, according to new research being presented at the 31st European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress.

7 Sep 2022

Merkel cell carcinoma has a higher post-treatment recurrence rate than other skin cancers

Patients treated for Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) face a five-year recurrence rate of 40%-;markedly higher than the recurrence rates for melanoma and other skin cancers, according to research published today in JAMA Dermatology.

23 Feb 2022

UCLA-developed new "virtual histology" technology may reduce need for skin biopsies

Instead of surgically removing a sample of skin, sending it to a lab and waiting several days for results, your dermatologist takes pictures of a suspicious-looking lesion and quickly produces a detailed, microscopic image of the skin.

18 Nov 2021

Portable PDT device could pave the way for at-home treatment of basal cell carcinoma

A new prototype photodynamic therapy (PDT) device that can be used at home significantly reduces pain levels during treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), while achieving efficacy comparable with a hospital stay. These findings come from a breakthrough pilot study, presented today at the 30th EADV Congress.

1 Oct 2021

Alcohol consumption increases risk of several cancers while coffee protects against liver, skin cancer

Alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for several cancers including head & neck, oesophageal and bowel cancer – as well as the more widely known links to breast and liver cancer – according to a new study funded by World Cancer Research Fund, and published this week in Nature Communications.

11 Aug 2021

Topical cream shows signs of clinical efficacy in patients with basal cell carcinoma

Remetinostat, a topical cream and first-in-class inhibitor of histone deacetylation, showed signs of clinical efficacy in patients with basal cell carcinoma.

6 Aug 2021

Compound isolated from Ophiura sarsii can be used as an affordable drug for photodynamic therapy

An unusual biologically active porphyrin compound was isolated from seabed dweller Ophiura sarsii. The substance might be used as an affordable light-sensitive drug for innovative photodynamic therapy and for targeted treatment of triple-negative breast cancer and some other cancers.

8 Feb 2021

Yale scientists develop an injection-based therapy for skin cancer

Yale researchers are developing a skin cancer treatment that involves injecting nanoparticles into the tumor, killing cancer cells with a two-pronged approach, as a potential alternative to surgery.

2 Feb 2021

Study explores link between personal use of hair dyes and cancer risk

Studies have indicated that people who dye their hair regularly may have a higher risk of cancer, especially bladder cancer and breast cancer.

3 Sep 2020

IU researcher identifies new genomic regions that increase skin cancer risk

An Indiana University cancer researcher has identified eight new genomic regions that increase a person's risk for skin cancer.

18 Feb 2020

Researchers develop new isolated limb infusion method for melanoma treatment

Worldwide, the incidence rates of skin cancer, like other types of cancer, is increasing. People in Europe and the Nordic countries are, compared to other areas of the world, at a higher risk of developing skin cancer due to their predominantly light and sun-sensitive skin type. The number of new cases of cancer in Estonia and Nordic countries has reached the same level as in sunny Australia, New Zealand and Florida. The increasing trend among Estonians to travel to southern counties is also likely to play a role in this.

27 Jan 2020

GW expands clinical trial of neoadjuvant immunotherapy for high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

The Cutaneous Oncology Program at the George Washington University (GW) Cancer Center was selected as the first global site for a clinical trial for patients with high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

22 Jan 2020

Melanoma patients report 95% satisfaction rate with Mohs surgery

Patients who received Mohs surgery to treat the most serious form of skin cancer, melanoma, reported a 95 percent long-term satisfaction rate with their results, according to a new study by UT Southwestern Medical Center dermatologists.

12 Jan 2020

ACCC project develops resources to support treatment of patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

Due to the rarity of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), staying current with the latest information on diagnosing, treating, and supporting patients with this diagnosis can be challenging for clinicians who do not often encounter advanced cSCC in practice.

4 Dec 2019

Leukemia drug appears to be effective in treating deadly pediatric brain tumor

A drug used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia appears to be more effective at stopping a type of medulloblastoma in mouse models than existing treatments for the deadly pediatric brain tumor, reports a multi-institutional team led by researchers at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California San Diego.

21 Sep 2019

Study identifies key epigenetic regulator that controls skin cell turnover

The outer layer of the skin completely replaces itself every two to four weeks, but when this process is blocked, cancer can grow.

21 Aug 2019