BASAL-CELL CARCINOMA IN A GIRL AFTER COBALT IRRADIATION TO THE CRANIUM FOR ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA - CASE-REPORT AND LITERATURE-REVIEW

A 12-year-old girl had a lesion located on the upper part of the scalp that was clinically interpreted as a melanocytic nevus and correspond ed histologically to a basal cell carcinoma. At age 2 years she had be en diagnosed as having acute lymphoblastic leukemia L1, for which she was treated with systemic chemotherapy, She also received telecobalt t herapy to the whole cranium for prophylaxis of meningeal leukosis, Hav ing rejected other possible causes that can favor the appearance of ba sal cell carcinoma during childhood (basal cell nevus syndrome, nevus sebaceus, albinism, etc.), we believe that this case should be added t o the five previously reported in the literature as basal cell carcino ma developing at an early age in cranial radiation portals with megavo ltage radiotherapy. We draw attention to the need to explore radiated areas of skin as part of the long-term follow-up of these patients, an d to the advisability of obtaining a biopsy from any persistent lesion in these areas.