Risk factors
Particularly at risk of developing spinalioma are patients who are frequently exposed to the sun, especially unprotected. Furthermore, patients with a weakened immune system are more often affected by spinaliomas. These patients have either an immunosuppressive therapy (cortisone, chemotherapy) or an immunodeficient disease, such as HIV. The genetic component also plays a major role in the development of a spinalioma. This is one of the reasons why it is always important to find out whether a family history of skin cancer has ever occurred.
Summary
Spinaliomas, together with basaliomas, are the most common skin diseases in Germany. Spinalioma is a malignant disease of the upper layer of the skin (spinal cell layer). Especially genetically preloaded patients, immunocompromised patients and those who are exposed to the sun frequently and unprotected have an increased risk of getting this skin disease.
Characteristically, a spinalioma grows in width, but in some cases it can also grow in depth and affect soft tissue and bone. A metastasis only occurs in very advanced stages.The diagnosis is made by means of gaze diagnosis, patient interview and biopsy. The treatment of choice is the surgical removal of the affected area of skin.
