Discordance between facial wrinkling and the presence of basal cell carcinoma

• Published in: Archives of dermatology (1960) Vol. 137; no. 6; p. 751
• Main Authors: Brooke, R C, Newbold, S A, Telfer, N R, Griffiths, C E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-06-2001
• Subjects: Aged; Carcinoma, Basal Cell - epidemiology; Carcinoma, Basal Cell - etiology; Case-Control Studies; England - epidemiology; Facial Neoplasms - epidemiology; Facial Neoplasms - etiology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Severity of Illness Index; Skin Aging - pathology; Skin Neoplasms - epidemiology; Skin Neoplasms - etiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; England
• ISSN: 0003-987X

During routine surgical treatment of basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), we observed an apparent inverse relationship between the presence of a BCC and significant wrinkling of the face. To ascertain the veracity of this observation, we performed a clinical and questionnaire-based case-referent study.
One hundred eighteen successive white patients (mean +/- SD age, 71.9 +/- 9.5 years) attending the hospital for surgical treatment of a BCC and 121 control (no skin cancer) patients (mean +/- SD age, 69.1 +/- 10.8 years) were assessed for grade of facial wrinkling using a previously validated photonumeric scale of photoaging and completed a questionnaire about sun exposure. Despite being older (P =.03), patients with a BCC were found to have a lower mean grade of wrinkling than controls (P =.001). Using logistic regression, increasing grade of wrinkling was associated with a progressive reduction in risk of developing a BCC.
Mechanisms responsible for the production of facial wrinkles may either be separate to or mitigate against the development of a BCC of the face.