Superficial basal cell carcinoma: A comparison of superficial only subtype with superficial combined with other subtypes by age, sex and anatomic site in 3150 cases

Abstract

Superficial BCC alone is more likely on younger females on trunk and limb sites. Small partial biopsies reported as sBCC may miss other BCC subtypes present with higher risk on facial sites for males and females. Males had smaller proportions of superficial only subtype BCC on facial and ear sites compared to females.

Commentary on Superficial Basal Cell Cancers Demonstrate Higher Rates of Mixed Histology on High-Risk Anatomical Sites

“…1 Petersen and colleagues evaluated 247 MMS cases of sBCC and found statistically significantly higher incidences of MH in (1) facial versus trunk and extremities lesions, (2) MAUC Area H versus Area L, and (3) Area M versus area L. They concluded this justifies continuing to score sBCCs as "appropriate" for Mohs surgery in high-risk areas. 1 Their results confirm those of Pyne and colleagues, 3 who in 2017 evaluated MH in 3150 consecutive sBCC excisions. 48.5% showed sBCC alone, 34.3% showed MH with sBCC 1 nodular subtypes, and 17.1% sBCC 1 aggressive subtypes (defined as "infiltrating, morpheic, and micronodular.")…”

“…A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey of Mohs Surgeons R ecent studies have reported improved survival outcomes for melanoma in situ and early-stage (AJCC-8 Stage I) invasive melanoma when treated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) compared with wide margin excision. [1][2][3] Despite the evidence in support of MMS, only a minority of Mohs surgeons use this technique in the treatment of melanoma. 3 This nationwide crosssectional survey sought to investigate factors deterring Mohs surgeons from treating melanoma with MMS.…”

Use of Cytology in the Diagnosis of Basal Cell Carcinoma Subtypes

“…Moreover, since the pathologist assessed the cytology smears blindly with no knowledge of the clinical notes or the final histopathological diagnosis, an association of cytological patterns with BCC subtypes could not be made in advance. Moreover, the shaving biopsy may have missed some of the deepest BCC subtypes in the patients it was performed on [17,18]. Although dermoscopy was performed to exclude coexisting lesions, the location of most BCCs over photodamaged skin of the head and neck may hamper the recording of the squamous cell due to the background epidermal atypia [19].…”

Photodynamic Therapy for Basal Cell Carcinoma: The Clinical Context for Future Research Priorities

“…There is an advantage in using sBCC as a research model for PDT treatment, as this allows the focus to be on those residual limitations of PDT treatment that remain when tissue penetration problems are minimized. Furthermore, although the incidence of all BCC is increasing, that of sBCC is increasing at a greater rate and affecting younger people, particularly females [9,22]. Care will be required to differentiate sBCC from other BCC subtypes with which it is often found, particularly in lesions of head and neck sites [22].…”