Skin cancer, cancer surveys: Advances and prospects in clinical,epidemiological, and laboratory oncology; vol. 26

Abstract

Skin cancer, cancer surveys: Advances and prospects in clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory oncology; vol. 26 Irene M. Leigh, Julia A. Newton Bishop, and Margaret L. Kripke, editors, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, 1996, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. 361 pages. $80.00. This slim volume covers a remarkably broad series of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) related topics. These range from basic studies of DNA repair and photobiology, through virology, immunology, and animal models, to clinical studies of human genetics, epidemiology, and molecular diagnosis. The book ends with management by use of retinoids and melanoma vaccines. The 18 chapters are written by 31 researchers (almost all from Europe or Texas) who have extensive experience in skin cancer research. All chapters have a similar format including an introduction, a review of the relevant research with emphasis on studies of the author of the chapter, many new tables and figures, a short summary, and a large bibliography including references up to 1995. The chapter “Transgenic Models of Epidermal Neoplasia and Multistage Carcinogenesis“ by J. Arbeit contains helpful summary figures showing the distri-bution of keratin and envelope-associated protein expression in normal, precancerous, and cancerous skin. There is also a large table listing nearly two dozen different transgenic mouse strains with increased susceptibility to squamous neoplasia. D. Kusewitt and R. Ley review Setlow's “fish story” of melanomas in platy fish as well as their own extensive investigations of UVB-induced melanomas in the South American opossum and experimental melanoma prevention by photoreactivating (visible) light. A. Quinn presents information about molecular genetics of NMSC including inherited disorders such as Ferguson-Smith syndrome of multiple self-healing squamous epitheliomas and tumor suppressor genes TP53 and RAS. There is a thoughtful discussion about the possibility of determining critical NMSC genes by studying human genetics in conjunction with chromosome loss in spontaneous tumors. Unfortunately, the deadline for this book apparently precluded mentioning of the newly reported link of the hereditary basal cell nevus syndrome (Gorlin's syndrome) to the patched gene on chromosome 9. N. Dracopoli and J. Fountain provide a comprehensive discussion of the role of CDKN2 as a tumor suppressor gene in familial and sporadic melanoma. A. Stary and A. Sarasin present a comparison of xeroderma pigmentosum with trichothiodystrophy, two disorders with defects in the same DNA repair gene but markedly different clinical features, a current research conundrum. The epidemiologic links of sun exposure to skin cancer are presented by B. Armstrong and A. Kricker including a provocative table of surface density of melanoma, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) by anatomic site and gender for Australian whole population groups. This table indicates a high frequency of all skin cancers (especially SCC) on the usually exposed parts of the head and neck but a relatively low frequency of SCC on the sometimes exposed sites (shoulders, back, and chest) in comparison to melanoma and BCC. J. deLaat and F. de Gruijl provide experimental data for induction of skin cancers in mice by UVB or by UVA, proving that tanning booth–type UV exposure can cause skin cancer in animals! J. Streilein presents a brief summary of photoimmunology of NMSC including the effects on cutaneous immunity in humans. It is unfortunate that the U.S. editor did not provide a summary of her pioneering work with the mouse model of photoimmune suppression in tumor transplantation. Two chapters are devoted to vaccines and immunotherapy for melanoma. However, the results to date, although promising, show the need for further research. N. Craven and C. Griffiths provide a comprehensive review of the use of retinoids in cutaneous cancers; they have been proved to be effective in prevention of NMSC in people at high risk, but the toxicity of those in current use “...probably outweighs the protective benefits in the majority of patients with sporadic tumors.” (p. 281) This text is as up-to-date a summary of research in human skin cancer as is possible in a printed publication. Although the color plates are not of high quality, there are useful summary tables and figures and extensive reference lists along with thoughtful comments by active researchers.