Spinocellular and basocellular carcinoma of the head

Abstract

Introduction: Tumors of keratinocyte epidermic cell or non-melanoma skin cancer are now the most common types of cancer in white populations. The tumor entities show an increasing incidence rate worldwide but a stable or decreasing mortality rate. The rising incidence rates of non-melanoma skin cancer are probably caused by a combination of increased sun exposure or exposure to ultraviolet light, increased outdoor activities, changes in clothing style, increased longevity, ozone depletion, genetics and in some cases, immune suppression. The purpose of this paper was to describe different types of surgical intervention used in patients with spinocellular or basocellular carcinoma of the head region. Material and Methods: The paper presents patients who came to the Floreasca Emergency Hospital, Bucharest (Romania) in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and got surgical excision of the tumor, followed by reconstruction. All patients had spinocellular or basocellular carcinoma located at the head in an advanced stage but without metastasis. The anatomopathological exam was performed to confirm the diagnosis of skin carcinoma for which surgery is the only treatment. The defects were covered using the skin flaps and skin grafts, to the area removed and to the size of the tumor. The excision was made with safety margins from the healthy tissue; the defect was covered with flaps from the surrounding skin or skin graft in smaller tumors. The recovery of the patients depended on the chosen techniques, on the patients medical status and on post-surgical care. Results: The results revealed that skin cancer can be treated with a multitude of surgical techniques. The use of skin flaps or skin grafts provides a wide range of surgical approaches for treating difficult areas like nose or lips to simpler regions like forehead. Conclusion: The principal conclusion was that patients with spinocellular or basocellular carcinoma could benefit from an optimal facial reconstructive treatment. The intervention allowed social reintegration with minimal functional or esthetic deficit.