Comparative Analysis of Squamous Cell Differentiation by Histologic Subtypes in Basal Cell Carcinoma

Oh, Shin Taek; Chong, Su Jean; Park, Chul Jong; Park, Young Min; Cho, Sang Hyun; Lee, Jun Young; Kim, Jin Woo; Kim, Si Yong; Cho, Baik Kee

Abstract

BACKGROUND
There has been no general agreement on classifying basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and little is known about the squamous cell differentiations of each subtype of BCC. BCC is a locally-invasive tumor, but its aggressive forms tend to recur and metastasize. OBJECTIVE: We have compared the histolopathological subtypes of BCC by squamous differentiation, with special emphasis on basosquamous carcinoma and the difference between the non- aggressive and aggressive forms of BCC. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A total of 87 BCC specimens were collected from the 7 branch hospitals of The Catholic University of Korea from July 1997 to June 2003. RESULTS: 1. The 87 samples were divided into 6 subtypes: 18 nodular, 19 nodular infiltrative, 12 micronodular, 14 infiltrative, 11 morpheaform, 13 basosquamous. Overall, 18 samples were classified as non- aggressive and the remaining 69 as aggressive. 2.In nodular-infiltrative BCC and basosquamous carcinoma, squamous cell differentiation was significantly more prominent than in the nodular BCC. CONCLUSION: Squamous cell differentiation should be considered as one of the aggressive markers, especially in nodule-forming BCC.