Metastatic basal cell carcinoma: review and report of a case

Basal cell carcinomas are usually slow growing, locally aggressive tumors that rarely metastasize. If these tumors are not treated or are inadequately treated they occasionally metastasize to regional lymph nodes or distant sites. It is important to treat basal cell carcinomas promptly and adequately and to have attentive follow-up, since large, deeply invasive tumors are the ones most likely to metastasize. In the case presented, a large basal cell carcinoma of the scalp invaded through the skull and into the sagittal sinus and posterior right occipital lobe of the brain. Several pulmonary metastases were present.