Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers And Hereditary Cancer Syndromes

Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC), which include basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), are among the most common human neoplasms, accounting for nearly as many human tumors as all other cancers combined. More than one million new cases of NMSC are diagnosed each year in the USA [1]. Although their growth is often slow when compared to other cancers, NMSC can be locally destructive and many have the capacity to metastasize to distant organs. Therefore, early diagnosis is critical for successful treatment of these tumors [2]. The current gold standard for diagnosis of NMSC is tissue biopsy for histopathological analysis [3]. However, a definitive diagnosis is sometimes not possible on the basis of morphological features [4, 5]. In this chapter, we will provide an update on recent advances in molecular technologies which may help resolve diagnostic ambiguities and potentially offer insights into patient outcomes and treatment response of NMSC.