BASAL CELL CARCINOMA: HISTOLOGIC DIAGNOSTIC PITFALLS – CASE REPORT
Abstract:
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), although a very often dermatological issue, may embrace
various morphological forms that the pathologist is required to accurately diagnose. We present the
case of a 15 years old girl with a nodular tumor observed, on skin, in a subclavian area, with dimensions
within 0,7/0,7/0,4 cm. The microscopic appearance of the tumor resembles a BCC, with basaloid and
rare scuamoid features, but no atypia or peripheral clefting, within a normal dermis with marked
plasocytic inflammation and reticular areas; differential diagnosis included trichoepithelioma, Merkel
cell carcinoma, trichoblastoma and microcystic adnexal carcinoma. The final diagnosis proved to be a
trichoepithelioma. Therefore, the importance of differential diagnosis in BCC and BCC-like conditions
requires mainly classical histologic criteria, with, depending on case, subsequent molecular
confirmation techniques. The article depicts the required attitude in such a situation, allowing an
illumination on the matter
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