Published in:
01-02-2016 | Original Paper
Clinical presentation of head and neck skin malignancies among albinos and value of basic surgical intervention
Published in: European Journal of Plastic Surgery | Issue 1/2016
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Background
Radiation from sunlight may play a role in the clinical presentation of head and neck skin cancers in albinos. This study assesses the clinical presentation of such cancers and outcome of basic surgical treatment without primary repair of resulting defects.
Methods
An analysis of sites from head and neck affected by cancers using traditional anatomical landmarks was carried out. The frequency of involvement of each division in malignant skin changes was also documented and compared.
Results
The eyes were not involved with any malignancy. With the head and neck region partitioned by a transverse line using the lateral canthus of the eye as landmark, the superior portion was found to be involved in 209 lesions, all (100 %) of which were successfully treated. The inferior portion had 119 but enjoyed 92.4 % success rate. With the head and neck region partitioned in the coronal plane using the lateral canthus of the eye as landmark, the posterior portion was involved in 282 lesions, of which 273 (96.8 %) were successfully treated. The anterior portion was involved in 46 lesions, all (100 %) of which were successfully treated.
Conclusions
Hair appears to protect the skin beneath it from actinic damage and cancers among albinos. Failed treatment was recorded only among lesions on the cheek and neck.
Level of evidence: Level IV, risk / prognostic study.