Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer (NMSC)

This clinical trial is looking at two drugs called dabrafenib and trametinib. Dabrafenib and trametinib are approved as standard of care treatment for adult patients with melanoma (a type of skin cancer) or lung cancer and in children with glioma (a type of brain tumour). This means they have gone through clinical trials and been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the UK. Dabrafenib and trametinib work in patients with a particular mutation in their cancer known as BRAF V600. Investigators now wish to find out if they will be useful in treating patients with other cancer types which have the same mutation. If the results are positive, the study team will work with the NHS and the Cancer Drugs Fund to see if these drugs can be routinely accessed for patients in the future. This trial is part of a trial programme called DETERMINE. The programme will also look at other anti-cancer drugs in the same way, through matching the drug to rare cancer types or ones with specific mutations.

The primary objective of this study is the evaluation of the efficacy of the tissue oxygen imager based on PpIX DF in differentiating benign skin growth from non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).

Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC), particularly basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), are the most common malignancies in Caucasians, with the majority of tumors located in the head and neck due to chronic ultraviolet exposure. Although BCC has very low metastatic potential, while cSCC carries a higher risk of nodal spread, both can cause significant local tissue destruction and functional and cosmetic impairment. Complete excision with histologically clear margins remains the standard treatment; however, incomplete or close excision margins are reported in a substantial proportion of cases and are associated with increased risk of local recurrence, need for additional treatment, and higher healthcare costs. Preoperative dermoscopy improves delineation of lateral tumor borders but does not assess depth of invasion. High-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) is a rapid, non-invasive imaging modality that can visualize superficial skin structures and estimate tumor thickness. Previous studies have suggested good agreement between HFUS and histopathologic depth of invasion, but results are not fully consistent, and HFUS has not yet been incorporated into major guideline recommendations for preoperative assessment of NMSC. Further prospective data are needed to clarify whether HFUS can improve surgical planning and margin control. This prospective study is designed to assess the impact of adding preoperative HFUS to standard dermoscopic evaluation in head and neck BCC and cSCC. The primary objectives are: (1) to compare the frequency of positive or inadequate (\<1 mm) histopathologic excision margins between lesions assessed with dermoscopy alone and those assessed with both dermoscopy and HFUS; and (2) to evaluate 5-year local recurrence rates in relation to preoperative assessment method, histopathologic margin status, and subsequent management of inadequate margins (observation, non-surgical treatment, or scar excision). Secondary and additional objectives include: assessing concordance between HFUS-measured and histopathologic depth of invasion; determining the frequency of residual tumor in scars excised after inadequate margins; evaluating recurrence rate according to the site of inadequate margins (lateral vs deep); and identifying patient-related, tumor-related, surgical, and histopathologic predictors of inadequate margins and recurrence. Approximately 400 lesions (BCC or cSCC of the head and neck) qualified for curative surgical excision will be included. Each lesion will constitute an independent study case. All lesions will undergo preoperative assessment, including clinical evaluation with detailed medical history and dermoscopy; in one cohort, lesions will additionally be evaluated with HFUS. HFUS will be performed with an 18-MHz linear probe, using superficial B-mode and color Doppler. Maximum tumor depth will be recorded from the epidermal surface (or granular layer) to the deepest hypoechoic point, with assessment of potential infiltration of deeper structures when visible. Surgical excision and postoperative care will follow standard clinical practice. Postoperative histopathologic assessment of FFPE tumor samples will record tumor histologic type and subtype, margin status, width, depth of invasion, differentiation, inflammation, elastosis, perineural or vascular invasion, and other routinely assessed diagnostic features. In the event of positive or inadequate excision margins, patients will be referred, after consultation with a dermatologist, for further management (observation, non-surgical treatment, or scar excision), depending on clinical indications and patient preferences. Participation in the study will not influence the primary surgical treatment or any decisions regarding subsequent management. Patients will be followed for at least 5 years according to current clinical guidelines, with dermoscopic skin examination and documentation of local recurrence and its management. The study aims to determine whether incorporating HFUS into preoperative assessment can reduce the frequency of inadequate histologic margins and improve long-term local control in head and neck NMSC.

This is a randomized, phase II, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with planned crossover to the intervention arm after 1 year. Consenting patients with CLL who have had at least one NMSC diagnosed in the past year will be randomized to receive either oral nicotinamide 500 mg twice daily (BID) for 1 year or oral placebo 1 tablet twice daily for 1 year. Patients will be stratified according to CLL therapy and the number of prior NMSC. At the end of 1 year, patients will undergo dermatologic examination and the number of new NMSC will be quantified. The number of patients who develop new NMSC in each arm will be documented. At this time, patients will be unblinded and all patients will receive Nicotinamide 500 mg BID for an additional year. At the end of this second year, patients will again undergo dermatologic examination, and the number of new NMSC will be quantified. The number of patients who develop NMSC will be documented. Skin biopsies will be taken for correlative studies. Enrollment will be split into two parts separated by an interim analysis. Part 1 will accrue 40 patients: 20 to each arm. After 40 patients have completed their 12 month visit an interim futility analysis will be conducted prior to recruiting more patients. The study will stop if the difference in the number of patients with NMSC between control and treatment arms is 0 or less (i.e., absolutely no evidence that the treatment is better than control). If the trial is not stopped, the investigators will proceed with Part 2 and recruit 46 more patients.