Basal Cell Carcinoma: Prevention

To prevent basal cell carcinoma (BCC; basal cell carcinoma), attention must be paid to reducing individual risk factors.

Behavioral risk factors

  • Diet
    • Micronutrient deficiency (vital substances) – see Prevention with micronutrients.
  • UV radiation (sun; solarium)

Environmental pollution – intoxications (poisonings).

  • Occupational contact with carcinogens such as arsenic.
  • UV radiation (chronic and intermittent UV exposure): recreational or occupational exposure to UV radiation (UV-A rays (315-380 nm), UV-B rays (280-315 nm); sun; solarium.

Prevention factors

  • Genetic factors:
    • Genetic risk reduction depending on gene polymorphisms:
      • Genes/SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphism):
        • Genes: PADI6, XRCC1
        • SNP: rs801114 in an intergenic region.
          • Allele constellation: TT (0.78-fold).
        • SNP: rs7538876 in gene PADI6
          • Allele constellation: GG (0.78-fold).
        • SNP: rs25487 in the gene XRCC1
          • Allele constellation: AA (0.7-fold)
  • Behavioral factors
    • Sun protection [S3 guideline: see below].
      • Avoidance of strong sunlight (see also UV index: the UV index (UVI) is a standardized measure of sunburn-effective solar irradiance (ultraviolet radiation).); Staying indoors is better than applying sunscreen!
      • In general, the UV index is considered a measure of the strongest solar radiation around midday (daily maximum).
      • Wearing appropriate clothing is preferable to the use of sunscreen as individual sun protection.
      • Application of sunscreen
        • “Sunscreens should be used for skin areas that cannot be protected in any other way”.
        • “The use of sunscreens should not lead to prolonging the stay in the sun”.

Every patient with statutory health insurance is entitled to skin cancer screening every 2 years from the age of 35. Routine skin self-examination (“skin self-examination”, SSE) is also desirable.

Secondary prevention

  • Early skin cancer detection (skin cancer screening) using dermoscopy (reflected light microscopy; increases diagnostic confidence).
  • Nicotinamide 500 mg twice daily → strengthening DNA repair mechanisms by preventing UV-induced ATP (adenosine triphosphate) depletion (removal of substances from the body, respectively, the increased consumption of the same).