Addiction to Tanning – A New Cause of Early Onset of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common non-melanoma skin cancer world wide. UV exposure plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of this tumor that is more common in older people. In the past, BCC in people younger than 30 years of age have been seen in connection with genetic diseases like Gorlin-Goltz syndrome. The histological type was mostly superficial and most common localization was on the trunk. Nowadays, frequent indoor tanning is a risk behavior that might lead to early development of facial and aggressive BCC in people younger than 30 years of age. This is illustrated by a case report of a 29-year old addictive indoor tanner, skin type I, who developed a solid BCC of the nose after more than 10 years of weekly tanning. Current health campaigns and preventive programs seem to be ineffective in this subgroup of patients. New strategies need to be developed.