Metatypical Basal Cell Carcinoma

On 03/2011, at the Skin Cancer and Reconstructive Surgery Center Tumor Conference, we presented what appeared to be a “true” metatypical basal cell carcinoma. This was not a metatypical basosquamous cell carcinoma we had described in another article in our blog where basal and squamous cells predominate. Instead of the squamous cell component, this cancer had a pronounced poorly differentiated neuroendocrine component next to poorly differentiated basal cell carcinoma.

Many lesions with basal and squamous cell component are called metatypical basal cell carcinomas without being true metatypical cancers. This is particularly prevalent on a biopsy diagnosis where the full extent of the cancer cannot be visualized given the small size of biopsy specimen. Most of those cases show either reactive keratinization or inflammatory surface squamous metaplasia. This case is the classic metatypical BCCa with its aggressive behavior and two cell types throughout the tumor.

At Skin Cancer and Reconstructive Surgery Center, we performed the classic Skin Cancer And Reconstructive Surgery Center combined resection - Mohs excision with concomitant wide surgical resection of the tumor. Click below to see the full article and more photographs of reconstruction.

Metatypical Basal Cell Carcinoma