Queratoses actínicas: Revisão clínica e epidemiológica

Abstract

Actinic keratoses are benign intraepithelial skin neoplasms constituted by atypical proliferation of keratinocytes that may evolve to squamous cell carcinoma. They develop in photoexposed skin areas; they are induced mainly by ultraviolet radiation and are considered cutaneous markers of chronic exposure to sunlight. They develop mainly in adults and older, fair skinned individuals, and are the fourth most common cause of dermatologic consultation in Brazil. Damage to the apoptosis pathway in photo exposed epithelium favors cellular proliferation and the permanence of the lesions. In this revision, the authors assemble the main epidemiological data regarding this disease and suggest that strategies to identify risky phenotypes, early diagnosis, adequate treatment, clinical follow-up, stimulus to skin self examination, photo education and photoprotection should be promoted with the aim of avoiding the progression to malignancy and also the prevention and the diagnose of concomitant neo plasms also induced by ultraviolet radiation. © 2012 by Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia.