A DGReview of :"Frequency of Facial Basal Cell Carcinoma Does Not Correlate With Site-Specific UV Exposure" 01/03/2003 By James Adams The sites on the face where basal cell carcinoma (BCC) develop do not necessarily receive the highest levels of cumulative UV exposure, German investigators have found. Clinicians who conduct such evaluations should therefore consider other areas of the face also to be at risk. Long-term exposure to UV radiation has been considered a major risk factor for the development of BCC. The investigators, from Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, Germany, conducted a retrospective analysis of 3,065 facial BCCs to determine whether areas with maximal UV exposure were also the most frequent sites of the carcinomas. Distribution and histopathologic features were also analyzed. The nose was the most frequent site, with 1,373 cases, followed by the orbital area and the ears, with 386 and 269 cases, respectively. A total of 851 nasal BCCs occurred at the base of the nose. The apex and the dorsam, both sites with more prominent sun exposure than the base, had only 292 and 230 BCCs, respectively. Similarly, 99 BCCs occurred at the shaded retroauricular fold, while 105 occurred at the sun-exposed preauricular crest. And 225 occurred in the medial quadrant of the orbit, compared to only 24 in the lateral quadrant. Sixty-five were located on the helix of the ears. There were no correlations between prominent UV-exposed facial contours and histologic features. The investigators conclude that site-specific cumulative UV exposure does not predict frequency or histologic features of facial basal cell carcinoma. They believe other factors such as the textural qualities of different areas must also play a role. Arch Dermatol 2002; 138: 1494-1497 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.