Systemic therapy for disseminated basal cell carcinoma: an uncommon manifestation of a common cancer

While basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common human malignancy, distant metastases from this are rare. Current therapy for disseminated BCC is based on anecdotal reports in the absence of clinical trials to guide management. For many years, platinum based cytotoxic chemotherapy was the mainstay of treatment. Advances in the understanding of the biology of BCC have led to the development of targeted therapies (e.g. inhibitors of the hedgehog and the epidermal growth factor receptor pathways) that are currently being investigated in this disease. This review summarizes the available data on the epidemiology and management of disseminated BCC.