[Cutaneous basosquamous carcinoma]

Basosquamous carcinoma is a rare entity that essentially affects the head and neck region in male patients. The authors present the clinical signs and progression as well as the therapeutic consequences of this disease through two observations. CASE REPORT 1: A 41-year-old man presented with basosquamous carcinoma of the right temporoparietal region treated initially with surgery alone. Five years later, he was operated on for a local and lymph node recurrence followed by radiation therapy, stabilizing the disease for 4 years; subsequently a second recurrence with metastasis to the chest area occurred. The patient died 10 years after the onset of his disease of diffuse pneumopathy with severe septicemia. CASE REPORT 2: A 71-year-old man presented retroauricular basosquamous carcinoma at first treated with wide resection, but the surgical limits were invaded. He developed local recurrences treated with surgical resection until total petrosectomy, but the surgical limits were always invaded. Radiotherapy was delivered. Seven years after the end of treatment, he developed a local recurrence invading the brain, which was deemed untreatable.

Basosquamous carcinoma is characterized by its severe aggression and its tendency to recur. Treatment is essentially surgical. Radiotherapy is an adjuvant for the cases with high risk of recurrence. The role of chemotherapy is not yet proved.