Basal cell carcinomas - clinical-evolutional and histopahotologic aspects

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most prevalent type of skin cancer globally.
• Understanding the clinical and histopathological variations of BCC is crucial for effective management.
• Previous research highlights the need for comprehensive data on BCC subtypes and their characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze the clinical-evolutional and histopathologic aspects of basal cell carcinomas.
• To provide a detailed overview of BCC subtypes encountered in a specific patient cohort.
• To contribute to the understanding of BCC epidemiology and presentation.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study was conducted over a five-year period (January 2004 - December 2008).
• Data from 706 patients with 738 BCC tumors treated at the Dermatology Clinic of Craiova were analyzed.
• Clinical information included patient demographics, environmental factors, profession, tumor location, disease history, and histopathological diagnosis.

Main Results:

• The most frequent clinical presentations were pearly BCC (33.6%) and nodular BCC (22.2%).
• Histopathologically, solid BCC was the most common subtype (33.7%), followed by polymorph (19.2%) and adenoid (13.1%).
• Other observed histopathological types included keratinized, superficial, cystic, pigmented, scleroderma form, and in situ BCC.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights the diverse clinical and histopathological spectrum of basal cell carcinoma.
• Solid and pearly BCC subtypes were most prevalent in this patient cohort.
• These findings underscore the importance of detailed histopathological classification for understanding BCC behavior.