[Cytoid bodies in basal cell epithelioma]

100 basal cell epitheliomas were surveyed for the presence of cytoid bodies by histological and histochemical techniques. By this means a differentiation of the following structures was possible: 1. Elastic globes were present in 32 specimens. Their localisation corresponded in part to the typical subepidermal situation, but invasive tumor growth resulted in their translocation into the deeper corium. 2. Civatte bodies were found in the dermoepidermal junction area in 16 cases. Similar structures were present within the tumor cell islands of 37 patients. 3. Russel bodies could be observed within the inflammatory peritumoral infiltrate containing numerous plasma cells in 30 specimens. 4. Clumpy or ovoid deposits of amyloid were present within the stroma of 41 epitheliomas, whereas no amyloid was found in the tumor cell islands.