Head and neck skin cancer

Head and neck skin cancer
Among malignant tumors of the skin of the head and neck, basal cell carcinoma (basal cell carcinoma) is most common (60-80%), and squamous cell carcinoma (18-25%) is less common. Even rarer (1-3%) are other tumors (cancer from the appendages of the skin, from the epithelium of the eccrine or apocrine (sweat) and sebaceous glands, cancer from Merkel cells). 

Causes of occurrence:

- Ultraviolet radiation, especially in childhood and adolescence

- Ionizing radiation

- Immunosuppressive therapy

- Papillomavirus infection (type 5,6,11,16,18)

- Chemical carcinogens (components of tobacco smoke, asbestos, food and drinking water pollutants)

- Chronic skin injury

- Keratoses

- Elderly and senile age 

Clinical symptomsthat allow you to suspect the disease:

• intermittent ulcers of the skin of the face, scalp, neck, or ulcers without a tendency to heal for more than three weeks
• raised above the skin of the formation with a slight bleeding, flattening or ulceration in the center, with an asymmetric nodular surface
• periodic wet ulcers with the formation of easily removable crusts
• ulceration or outgrowth on previously exposed skin, scars, or fistulas.

Diagnosis of skin cancer is carried out when:

1. Examination of the skin and regional lymph nodes.

2. Dermatoscopies

3. Scraping or imprinting from the surface of the tumor or punctate of the tumor with subsequent cytological examination. 

4. Tumor biopsies followed by morphological examination

5. Ultrasound of the lymph nodes of the neck, abdominal organs

6. X-ray or computed tomography of the chest organs

These methods allow us to establish the diagnosis and assess the prevalence of the tumor, on the basis of which the treatment tactics are determined depending on the clinical picture, the prevalence and localization of the tumor.

In the department of head and neck tumors of the Moscow State Medical Center named after A. S. Loginov, a comprehensive diagnosis and surgical treatment of head and neck skin tumors of various localization and prevalence is carried out with the simultaneous implementation of the reconstructive and plastic stage, to ensure the functional and aesthetic rehabilitation of patients.

Do not delay your visit to the specialists of our Center. This will help to diagnose the disease in a timely manner and choose the right treatment tactics. Doctors of the Department of Head and Neck Tumors of the State Medical Institution of the Moscow State Medical Center named after A. S. Loginov are always ready to help you.