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DOI: 10.48087/BJMS.2026.130104
Authors: Horiya TAHRI, Soumia HAMZAOUI, Abdelaali Ali BELHACHEM, Nihed AMARA, Nadra KARZOUN, Halima ROUABAH, Amina SERRADJ, Houari TOUMI.
Keywords: BCC, HRQoL, DLQI, Vismodegib, Adverse events.
Abstract
Objective: The objective of our study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with locally advanced or metastatic basal cell carcinoma (BCC) using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) after six months of treatment with vismodegib and to describe the adverse events (AEs). Materials and Methods: A prospective, monocentric study was conducted over a one-year period in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, in collaboration with the Pharmacovigilance Department at EHU-Oran, Algeria. The study included all adult patients treated with vismodegib for locally advanced or metastatic BCC at the day hospital to assess HRQoL using the DLQI after six months of treatment and to describe the associated AEs. Results: Three male patients with histologically confirmed BCC—two with locally advanced BCC and one with metastatic BCC—were included in the study. The median age of the participants was 64 years. The BCC lesions were located on the auricle, face, and back, with the metastatic patient experiencing pulmonary and osseous metastases. The DLQI was assessed both before the initiation of treatment and after six months of vismodegib therapy. The mean DLQI score decreased from an initial average of 9 to 0.33. Reported AEs included muscle spasms, fatigue, alopecia, loss of appetite, and creatine phosphokinase elevation. Conclusion: This study highlights a significant improvement in HRQoL among patients treated with vismodegib, as evidenced by the reduction in DLQI scores over six months.