Acta Dermato-Venereologica 99-4CompleteContent | Page 6
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REVIEW ARTICLE
Skin Cancer Associated Genodermatoses: A Literature Review
Juliane SCHIERBECK, Tine VESTERGAARD and Anette BYGUM
Department of Dermatology and Allergy Centre, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
Skin cancer has become the most common type of can-
cer worldwide as a result of environmental exposure
and medical treatments. A small group of patients are
genetically predisposed to skin cancer and this article
is intended as a diagnostic tool when encountering pa-
tients with multiple skin cancer lesions. The disorders
are described with clinical characteristics, genetics
and management. The most common syndromes asso-
ciated with basal cell carcinoma are: Gorlin–Goltz syn-
drome, Rombo syndrome, and Bazex-Dupré-Christol
syndrome. Multiple squamous cell carcinomas can be
related to: xeroderma pigmentosum, Ferguson-Smith,
Muir-Torre syndrome, Mibelli-type porokeratosis,
keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome, Rothmund-
Thomson syndrome, Bloom syndrome, and epidermo-
dysplasia verruciformis. Malignant melanoma can be
inherited, as in familial atypical multiple mole mela-
noma syndrome.
Key words: genodermatoses; skin cancer; basal cell carcinoma;
squamous cell carcinoma; hereditary skin cancer.
Accepted Jan 16, 2019; E-published Jan 17, 2019
Acta Derm Venereol 2019; 99: 360–369.
Corr: Juliane Schierbeck, Department of Dermatology and Allergy Centre,
Odense University Hospital, Vesterbro 116, 1th, DK-5000 Odense C, Den-
mark. E-mail: [email protected]
S
kin cancer is the most common type of cancer world-
wide, with more than 15,000 patients annually in
Denmark (which has a population of ~5.8 million) (1).
Skin cancer is often caused by environmental exposure to
ultraviolet radiation (UVR), immunosuppressive therapy
or radiotherapy.
A small, and often overlooked, group of patients are ge-
netically predisposed to develop skin cancer, sometimes
associated with internal malignancies. These hereditary
skin conditions, or genodermatoses, are often clustered,
with multiple family members showing symptoms, al
though de novo mutations are also not uncommon. Awa-
reness of these disorders is therefore essential for early
diagnosis and treatment, as well as for identification of
potentially affected family members. Early identification
and diagnosis is crucial to the outcome and prognosis.
Skin symptoms are easier to recognize, whereas visceral
malignancies are more difficult and slower to identify.
The first healthcare practitioners to see and treat these
patients are general practitioners and dermatologists,
who have a responsibility in recognizing and facilita-
ting further genetic investigations and primary care, as
described below.
doi: 10.2340/00015555-3123
Acta Derm Venereol 2019; 99: 360–369
SIGNIFICANCE
This article reviews hereditary skin syndromes that cause
an increased risk of skin cancer development. It is im-
portant for physicians treating skin cancer to be aware of
hereditary causes, especially when examining patients with
multiple cancerous lesions with no obvious explanation.
This article describes clinical features, genetic descriptions
and management suggestions for hereditary syndromes
associated with skin cancer, and includes clinical images
from our practice.
This literature review focuses on hereditary causes of
basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma
(SCC) and malignant melanoma (MM). The review will
serve as a tool in diagnosing and treating patients with
multiple skin cancers.
HEREDITARY BASAL CELL CARCINOMA
Gorlin–Goltz syndrome
Gorlin–Goltz syndrome (GGS), also known as Gorlin
syndrome, naevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome or
multiple naevoid basal cell epithelioma, jaw cysts and
bifid rib syndrome, is an autosomal dominant condi-
tion causing unusual facial appearances (mandibular
prognathia, lateral displacement of the inner canthus,
frontal and biparietal bossing), dental cysts, palmar pits
and a predisposition for BCC. Other cardinal features
are calcification of the falx cerebri, medulloblastoma,
kyphoscoliosis, rib anomalies, cleft lip/palate, eye ano-
malies, milia and syndactyly (2). Two major and 1 minor
criteria or 1 major and 3 minor criteria are necessary to
determine the diagnosis, as shown in Table I.
Binkley & Johnson were the first to suggest a correla-
tion between dental cysts, partial agenesis of the corpus
callosum, a bifid rib, an ovarian fibroma and epithelioma
adenoides cysticum in 1951 (3). It was, however, the oral
pathologist and human geneticist Robert J. Gorlin and
the dermatologist Robert Goltz, who, in 1960, published
and described the specific syndrome, which consists of
multiple naevoid basal cell epitheliomas, jaw cysts and
bifid ribs (4).
Molecular genetics and pathophysiology. Recent studies
in molecular genetics have proven GGS to be caused by
mutations in the PTCH1 gene on chromosome 9q22, the
PTCH2 gene on chromosome 1p32, or the SUFU gene
on chromosome 10q24-q25, encoding for proteins in the
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license. www.medicaljournals.se/acta
Journal Compilation © 2019 Acta Dermato-Venereologica.