Retrospective analysis of basal cell carcinoma

Background: Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) are the most prevalent cancer type among white-skinned populations worldwide.
Aims: To analyze the gender and age-related incidence of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) histopathologic subtypes, to classify BCCs according to their anatomical location, invasion depth, and size, and to determine the relationship between BCC subtypes and margin of surgical excision.
Methods: All BCCs analysed in our center between 2005 and 2010 were studied retrospectively. The samples, which were totally excised, were included on the basis of histopathological diagnosis of BCC, and confirmed by two pathologists. Patient data included sex, age at diagnosis, tumor location, histological subtypes, invasion depth, and size.
Results: We recorded 197 BCCs obtained from 181 white patients (80 females, 101 males). The mean age among males was 64.11, and 59.33 among females. Of the cases, 45.17% were nodular, 22.33% were mixed, and 15.22 were infiltrative type. 91.84% of the cases were located on the head and neck, 3.04% were on the limbs, and 1.52 % were on the trunk. In 32 cases, the margin of surgical excision was positive (17.7%): nodular 12%, infiltrative 43.3%, mixed 20.6%, micronodular 10%, and superfacial multicentric 5.5%. Of these total 32 cases, 34.4% were located on the eyes region, 28.1% were found on the nose, and 15.6% were on the ears. Invasion depth of tumors varied from 0.5 to 22.125 mm.
Conclusions: The results of our study exhibit differences in anatomical distribution, sex and mean age, invasion depth, and size of BCC subtypes. The recurrence rate for incompletely excised tumors varies according to the location and type of the tumor. Infiltrative tumors are more likely to recur and have positive margin of surgical excision. The highest positive margin of surgical excision is in infiltrative BCC. Tumors at difficult-to-treat sites and large and/or deeply invasive tumors are more liable to recur.