Arsenic and skin cancer – Case report with chemoprevention
ABSTRACT Introduction: Arsenic is a potentially hazardous metalloid that can cause skin cancer. We want to demonstrate a case of chronic arsenicosis and the potential of chemoprevention with retinoids. Case Report: This is a case report of a 72-year-old male patient who was exposed to arsenics...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Our Dermatology Online
2016-04-01
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| Series: | Nasza Dermatologia Online |
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| Online Access: | http://www.odermatol.com/issue-in-html/2016-2-10/ |
| Summary: | ABSTRACT
Introduction: Arsenic is a potentially hazardous metalloid that can cause skin cancer. We want to demonstrate a case of chronic arsenicosis and the potential of chemoprevention with retinoids.
Case Report: This is a case report of a 72-year-old male patient who was exposed to arsenics by dust and direct skin contact over 3 years in a chemical plant in the late fourties. He developed multiple arsenic keratosis clincialll resembling actinic keratoses, Bowen’s disease and palmar minute keratoses. To prevent a transformation into invasive cancer and to lower the burden of precancerous and in situ cancer lesions, he was treated orally with acitretin 20 mg/day. During 9 months of chemopreventive retinoid therapy a partial response of pre-existent skin lesions was noted. Treatment was well tolerated. During follow-up of 5 years no invasive malignancy developed.
Conclusions: Intense exposure to arsenics during a relatively short period of 3 years bears a life-long health hazard with the delayed development of multiple in situ carcinomas and precancerous lesions. Chemoprevention with retinoids can induce a partial response.
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| ISSN: | 2081-9390 |