%0 Journal Article %T Dermal Lesions and Skin Cancer in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Receiving Immunosuppressive Therapy %J Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention %I West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter. %Z 1513-7368 %A Giagkou, Eftychia %A Saridi, Maria %A Albani, Eleni %A Gaitanis, Georgios %A Katsanos, Andreas %A Bechlioulis, Aris %A Bacasis, Athanasios-Dimitrios %A Christodoulou, Dimitrios K %A Katsanos, Konstantinos H %D 2018 %\ 10/01/2018 %V 19 %N 10 %P 2845-2851 %! Dermal Lesions and Skin Cancer in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Receiving Immunosuppressive Therapy %K Skin Cancer %K IBD %K Anti-TNFa %K Malignant Melanoma %R 10.22034/APJCP.2018.19.10.2845 %X Background: Anti-TNFa medications represent the first effective biologic therapy for IBD that has largelyrevolutionized treatment. The aim of this study was to quantify the risk of MM and other skin cancers among patientsfrom Northern Greece area with IBD who take immunosuppressive or biologic anti-TNF medications. Methods:The current study was conducted during a 3-year period (2014-2016). Clinical history and metabolic data of all patientswere extracted from the IBD database that is kept since 1980. 101 patients with IBD from Northwestern Greece,were studied. Results: The mean age of enrolled patients was 44.2±15.9 years old ranging from 17 years to 77 yearsold. No sun burn was reported from the 44.6% of the patients, 53.5% presented mild reticular veins in the face, andlack of any elastosis was noticed in 60.4%. The occurrence of two cases with squamous and basal cell carcinoma isan important finding. The absence of any case with MM should not quiet down but should strengthen our efforts forfurther implementation of preventive measures. Conclusions: Furthermore, education of patients to avoid deleterioussun exposure may help decrease MM incidence. %U https://journal.waocp.org/article_69805_135549d721f54562ff3f34bd92cb6ea8.pdf