Basal cell epitheliomas developing in a localized linear epidermal nevus

A case is presented of a fifty-seven year old white man in whom an early basal cell epithelioma as well as a large ulcerated pigmented basal cell epithelioma developed from a pre-existing localized linear epidermal nevus in which there were no abnormal pilosebaceous complexes. The transition stages from a localized purely epidermal nevus to an early basal cell epithelioma and finally to a large ulcerated pigmented basal cell epithelioma are clearly illustrated, and clinicians should be alerted to the fact that this sequence of events may rarely occur.