The following is a summary of “An Institutional Experience of a Tertiary Referral Center in Surgically Managing Patients With Gorlin Syndrome,” published in the November 2023 issue of Dermatology by Dany, et al.
People who have Gorlin syndrome, which is also called basal cell nevus syndrome, have a 90% chance of getting basal cell cancer (BCC) at some point in their lives. Compared to people who aren’t Gorlin, people who are Gorlin tend to get BCCs younger and, more often, up to 500 BCCs in their lifetime.
For a study, researchers sought to look at the choices that Gorlin patients have and point out areas where more research is needed to improve the care of this special group of people. They looked at the latest research on how to treat people with Gorlin syndrome from the point of view of a dermatologic surgeon. Mohs surgery is still the best way to treat big, active BCCs, but other, less invasive methods may be looked at for smaller, more common tumors.
As dermatologic surgeons, they need to be aware of all surgery and nonsurgical choices to tailor care to each patient’s needs and improve their quality of life. Patients with Gorlin are more likely to get surgery burnout and only show up for follow-up if the optimal cure rate and volume control are maintained. People with Gorlin have a lot of surgeries, mainly on the central face, which can make them look bad and lower their quality of life. To find a mix between traditional and complicated treatments for this group of people, it was important to look for gaps in the current study, keep doing research, and finally come up with good suggestions to help people make their own treatment plans.
