Abstract
Filaggrin gene (FLG) mutation carriage increases risks of various types of aberrant human reactivity, including that of atopic dermatitis (AD); sometimes also the severity of the actual sensitivity is related. This chapter attempts to summarize the recent literature, although it is sparse, regarding the relation between FLG mutations, AD, and skin cancer. According to the results of large Scandinavian cohort studies, there is an increased risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer in patients with AD, in contrast to no increased risk of malignant melanoma. The epidemiological findings are discussed in relation to recently published interesting experiments using mice models. Actions should be taken to diminish inflammation and the carcinogenic effects of UV light as well as regular use of moisturizers. In the future, studies will continue to describe the molecular mechanisms involved, to provide insights for treatment improvements, and to find ways to reduce the patients’ risk for skin cancer.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Irvine AD, McLean WH, Leung DY. Filaggrin mutations associated with skin and allergic diseases. N Engl J Med. 2009;365(14):1315–27.
Linos E, Swetter SM, Cockburn MG, Colditz GA, Clarke CA. Increasing burden of melanoma in the United States. J Invest Dermatol. 2009;129(7):1666–74.
Demierre MF, Nathanson L. Chemoprevention of melanoma: an unexplored strategy. J Clin Oncol. 2003;21(1):158–65.
Klein-Szanto AJ, Barr RJ, Reiners Jr JJ, Mamrack MD. Filaggrin distribution in keratoacanthomas and squamous cell carcinoma. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1984;108(11):888–90.
Kvedar JC, Fewkes J, Baden HP. Immunologic detection of markers of keratinocyte differentiation. Its use in neoplastic and preneoplastic lesions of skin. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1986;110(3):183–8.
Hagströmer L, Ye W, Nyrén O, Emtestam L. Incidence of cancer among patients with atopic dermatitis. Arch Dermatol. 2005;141(9):1123–7.
Ming ME, Levy R, Hoffstad O, Filip J, Abrams BB, Fernandez C, et al. The lack of a relationship between atopic dermatitis and nonmelanoma skin cancers. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004;50(3):357–62.
Olesen AB, Engholm G, Storm HH, Thestrup-Pedersen K. The risk of cancer among patients previously hospitalized for atopic dermatitis. J Invest Dermatol. 2005;125(3):445–9.
Jensen AO, Svaerke C, Kormendine Farkas D, Olesen AB, Kragballe K, Sorensen HT. Atopic dermatitis and risk of skin cancer: a Danish nationwide cohort study (1977-2006). Am J Clin Dermatol. 2012;13(1):29–36.
Synnerstad I, Fredrikson M, Ternesten-Bratel A, Rosdahl I. Low risk of melanoma in patients with atopic dermatitis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2008;22(12):1423–8.
Dyer RK, Weinstock MA, Cohen TS, Rizzo AE, Bingham SF. Predictors of basal cell carcinoma in high-risk patients in the VATTC (VA Topical Tretinoin Chemoprevention) trial. J Invest Dermatol. 2012;132(11):2544–51.
Arana A, Wentworth CE, Fernandez-Vidaurre C, Schlienger RG, Conde E, Arellano FM. Incidence of cancer in the general population and in patients with or without atopic dermatitis in the U.K. Br J Dermatol. 2010;163(5):1036–43.
El-Zein M, Parent ME, Ka K, Siemiatycki J, St-Pierre Y, Rousseau MC. History of asthma or eczema and cancer risk among men: a population-based case-control study in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2010;104(5):378–84.
Beral V, Evans S, Shaw H, Milton G. Cutaneous factors related to the risk of malignant melanoma. Br J Dermatol. 1983;109(2):165–72.
Wedgeworth E, Powell AM, Flohr C. Eczema and cancer risk: a critical appraisal and review of the literature. Br J Dermatol. 2011;165(3):457–62.
Kaae J, Thyssen JP, Johansen JD, Meldgaard M, Linneberg A, Allen M, Skov L. Filaggrin gene mutations and risk of basal cell carcinoma. Br J Dermatol. 2013;169(5):1162–4.
Cai SC, Chen H, Koh WP, Common JE, van Bever HP, McLean WH, et al. Filaggrin mutations are associated with recurrent skin infection in Singaporean Chinese patients with atopic dermatitis. Br J Dermatol. 2012;166(1):200–3.
Rajka G. Essential aspects of atopic dermatitis. Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer; 1989.
Boffetta P, Ye W, Adami HO, Mucci LA, Nyren O. Risk of cancers of the lung, head and neck in patients hospitalized for alcoholism in Sweden. Br J Cancer. 2001;85(5):678–82.
Reynolds P, Kaplan GA. Asthma and cancer. Am J Epidemiol. 1987;125(3):539–40.
Robinette CD, Fraumeni Jr JF. Asthma and subsequent mortality in World War II veterans. J Chronic Dis. 1978;31(9–10):619–24.
Vesterinen E, Pukkala E, Timonen T, Aromaa A. Cancer incidence among 78,000 asthmatic patients. Int J Epidemiol. 1993;22(6):976–82.
Alderson M. Mortality from malignant disease in patients with asthma. Lancet. 1974;2(7895):1475–7.
Markowe HL, Bulpitt CJ, Shipley MJ, Rose G, Crombie DL, Fleming DM. Prognosis in adult asthma: a national study. BMJ (Clin Res Ed). 1987;295(6604):949–52.
Mills PK, Beeson WL, Fraser GE, Phillips RL. Allergy and cancer: organ site-specific results from the Adventist Health Study. Am J Epidemiol. 1992;136(3):287–95.
Sigurgeirsson B, Lindelöf B. Positive patch tests and cancer: an epidemiological study. Am J Contact Dermat. 1991;2:161–4.
Lindelöf B, Sigurgeirsson B, Wahlgren CF, Eklund G. Chronic urticaria and cancer: an epidemiological study of 1155 patients. Br J Dermatol. 1990;123(4):453–6.
Thyssen JP, Linneberg A, Ross-Hansen K, Carlsen BC, Meldgaard M, Szecsi PB, et al. Filaggrin mutations are strongly associated with contact sensitization in individuals with dermatitis. Contact Dermatitis. 2013;68(5):273–6.
Mildner M, Jin J, Eckhart L, Kezic S, Gruber F, Barresi C, et al. Knockdown of filaggrin impairs diffusion barrier function and increases UV sensitivity in a human skin model. J Invest Dermatol. 2010;130(9):2286–94.
Devos M, Prawitt J, Staumont-Salle D, Hoste E, Fleury S, Bouchaert E, et al. Filaggrin degradation by caspase-14 is required for UVB photoprotection but does not influence allergic sensitization in a mouse model of atopic dermatitis. J Invest Dermatol. 2012;132(12):2857–60.
Denecker G, Hoste E, Gilbert B, Hochepied T, Ovaere P, Lippens S, et al. Caspase-14 protects against epidermal UVB photodamage and water loss. Nat Cell Biol. 2007;9(6):666–74.
Hoste E, Kemperman P, Devos M, Denecker G, Kezic S, Yau N, et al. Caspase-14 is required for filaggrin degradation to natural moisturizing factors in the skin. J Invest Dermatol. 2011;131(11):2233–41.
Uddin AN, Labuda I, Burns FJ. A novel mechanism of filaggrin induction and sunburn prevention by beta-damascenone in Skh-1 mice. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2012;265(3):335–41.
Tennis P, Gelfand JM, Rothman KJ. Evaluation of cancer risk related to atopic dermatitis and use of topical calcineurin inhibitors. Br J Dermatol. 2011;165(3):465–73.
Jensen JM, Pfeiffer S, Witt M, Brautigam M, Neumann C, Weichenthal M, et al. Different effects of pimecrolimus and betamethasone on the skin barrier in patients with atopic dermatitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009;124(3 Suppl 2):R19–28.
Grether-Beck S, Felsner I, Brenden H, Kohne Z, Majora M, Marini A, et al. Urea uptake enhances barrier function and antimicrobial defense in humans by regulating epidermal gene expression. J Invest Dermatol. 2012;132(6):1561–72.
Hagströmer L, Nyren M, Emtestam L. Do urea and sodium chloride together increase the efficacy of moisturisers for atopic dermatitis Skin? A comparative, double-blind and randomised study. Skin Pharmacol Appl Skin Physiol. 2001;14(1):27–33.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Emtestam, L., Hagströmer, L., Sartorius, K. (2014). Atopic Dermatitis and Skin Cancer. In: Thyssen, J., Maibach, H. (eds) Filaggrin. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-54379-1_28
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-54379-1_28
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-54378-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-54379-1
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)