[Facial mutilant basosquamous carcinoma]

Basosquamous carcinoma is a rare epithelial malignant neoplasm with clinical and biological features of both basal and squamous cell carcinoma. This neoplasm has been characterized for years as a variant of basal cell carcinoma, although now it is widely accepted as a clinical entity. We report a 59-year-old male patient, homeless, who presented an ulcerated tumoral lesion from four years ago, located in left malar region, orbit and nasal pyramid. It caused an important destruction of these anatomic structures and spred out the skull base through optic nerve. The most important features of basosquamous carcinoma are its great local aggressiveness, high frequency of recurrences and its metastatic potential. Because of that, the most effective therapeutic measure is the early detection and complete removement of these tumours; although, as the case we report, it is not always possible.