Naevi as a risk factor for basal cell carcinoma in Caucasians: a Danish case-control study

The number of melanocytic,tic naevi in Caucasians is related to previous ex posure to the sun and is a web-documented major risk factor for cutaneous m alignant melanoma, Basal cell carcinoma, which is the most common form of s kin cancer, has also been shown to be related to exposure to the sun. To in vestigate whether the number of common naevi is a risk factor for basal cel l carcinoma in Caucasians we performed whole-body counting of nae,i greater than or equal to 2 mm in a Danish case-control study with 145 cases of pri mary basal cell carcinoma and 119 controls matched on age, gender and place of residence. Naevi were recorded according to size and body region and th e skin phototype was assessed, There was no correlation between self-report ed skin type and the number of naevi. Females with basal cell carcinoma had more naevi than did female controls (median number of naevi: 65 and 32, re spectively ) while males with basal cell carcinoma did not differ from male controls (median number of naevi: 48 and 43, respectively, elS). Female ca ses had more small size naevi (2 mm), intermediate size naevi (3-4 mm) and large size naevi (greater than or equal to 5 mm) than did female controls. Females with basal cell carcinoma had a substantially higher number of naev i on the arms and the legs than did female controls, but also had more naev i on the trunk, For females, the risk for basal cell carcinoma increased wi th; increasing number of naveli. Naevi Here not a risk factor for basal cel l carcinoma in males.