[Terebrant basal cell carcinoma]

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most frequent skin cancer. It never affects the mucosa. It is characterized by a local malignancy with an extremely rare risk of developing distant metastasis and the lowest mortality. However in the absence of diagnosis and early surgery, BCC can be locally invasive and result in severe tissue destruction. It can ulcerate and its growth can be extensive and destructive: terebrant tumors affecting the structures of the muscles and the bone. We here report the case of a 80-year old woman living in an isolated rural areas, presenting with ulcerated exudative and smelly burgeoning lesion in the pretragal and the parotid regions. Locoregional examination was unremarkable and histology showed infiltrative BCC. Staging evaluation objectified no bone invasion. The patient was referred to the Division of Plastic Surgery for carcinologic treatment.