ABSTRACT
All forms of malignant disease of the skin are becoming more common. Solar keratoses are common, localized areas of crusting of the skin surface caused by chronic solar exposure, which leads to irregular and abnormal epidermal growth and differentiation. Parakeratosis and/or hyperkeratosis surmount the variably thickened epidermis, which demonstrates heterogeneity of cell and nuclear size, shape and staining. Bowen’s disease is a localized area of epidermal neoplasia remaining within the confines of the epidermis. Squamous cell carcinoma predominantly occurs in the same population groups as described for solar keratosis. Keratoacanthoma has a characteristic, symmetrical, cup-shaped or flask-shaped structure. Xeroderma pigmentosum is the name given to a group of rare, inherited disorders in which there is faulty repair of damaged DNA and the development of numerous skin cancers. Mycosis fungoides is a multi-focal, neoplastic disorder of T-lymphocytes that primarily affects the skin.
