Relationship between food intake and cutaneous solar elastosis adjacent to basal cell carcinoma

• Published in: Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Vol. 27; no. 1; pp. 25 - 30
• Main Authors: Husein-ElAhmed, H., Aneiros-Fernandez, J., Gutierrez-Salmeron, M.T., Aneiros-Cachaza, J., Naranjo-Sintes, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.01.2013
• Subjects: Aged; Ascorbic Acid - administration & dosage; Biopsy, Needle; Carcinoma, Basal Cell - etiology; Carcinoma, Basal Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Basal Cell - surgery; Chi-Square Distribution; Cohort Studies; Dietary Supplements; Eating; Elasticity; Feeding Behavior; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Middle Aged; Risk Assessment; Skin Aging - physiology; Skin Neoplasms - etiology; Skin Neoplasms - pathology; Skin Neoplasms - surgery; Smoking - adverse effects; Surveys and Questionnaires; Ultraviolet Rays - adverse effects; Vitamin E - administration & dosage
• ISSN: 0926-9959; 1468-3083
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2011.04344.x

Background/Objective  Studies suggest that diet may influence in skin ageing and skin appearance. However, the effect of diet in the elastotic changes of dermis, which is the main histological sign of ageing, has not been studied previously. The objective was to investigate if the dietary habits influence the dermal elastosis observed in BCCs. Materials and methods  The 136 patients with facial BCCs, who underwent surgery, were interviewed to assess the consumption of fruit, vegetables, fat, red meat, coffee and tea. We reviewed 136 specimens of BCC to identify the presence of solar elastosis. We also analysed clinical variables such as gender, age, phototype and smoking. Results  Severe solar elastosis was found in 22 patients (16%), middle reticular dermis in 37 (27 %) and 77 patients (57%) had abscence or light elastosis. Fat consumption was reported by most of participants from our sample, while fruit and tea consumption was less common. Intakes of fat, vegetables and coffee were not associated with the grade of elastosis whereas Vitamin E and C‐rich fruits and tea were correlated with less risk of elastosis. Smokers showed higher grades of elastosis than non‐smokers. Conclusion  Our study provides evidence that the presence of dermal elastosis and cutaneous ageing may be influenced by the type of food intake: Vitamin E and C‐rich fruit and tea are positively associated with less elastosis.