a. What is the most likely diagnosis?

   b. How is this condition inhertied?

   c. What is the prognosis for this patient?

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This young boy has multiple skin cancers in the sun exposed area.

 a. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Xeroderma pigmentosum.

There is development of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma in the sun-exposed areas. This is due to the failure of  the body to initiate excision repair of pyrimidine dimers and other photoproducts.

 b. How is this condition inhertied?

Autosomal recessive. It has an incidence of 1:250,000

 c. What is the prognosis for this patient?

About 60% of the patients die before the age of 20 due to metastatic squamous cell carcinoma.Survial depends on the severity of the disease, early diagnosis and careful protection from sun exposure.

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