Nonmelanoma skin cancer of the head and neck: molecular mechanisms.

Histopathologic examination is the gold standard for the diagnosis of skin cancer. Because analysis of molecular parameters such as nucleic acids and DNA are also gaining importance in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy, an understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of nonmelanoma skin cancer of the head and neck is of growing importance for the diagnostician and surgeon alike. This article presents a description of the effect on cells and impact on DNA of ultraviolet radiation, with a discussion of squamous cell and basal cell carcinoma in terms of the effects of genetic pathways and apoptosis.