A Clinical Study of 153 Cases of Basal Cell Epithelioma

Lee, Jeung Hoon; Kim, Hyoung Joo; Kim, Kyung Ho; Kim, Yeun Soo; Park, Jang Kyu

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Clinical features of basal cell epithelioma(BCE) are known to be different according to social and environmental factors. Recently, there have been reports of an increase of BCE in the Chung-Nam area.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the incidence of tumors, age and sex distribution, and tumor sites.
METHODS
Clinical records were reviewed for 153 cases of BCE with a histologically confirmed diagnosis for patients who visited the Department of Dermatology, Chungnam National University Hospital during the 20 years from 1978 to 1997. Pathologic characteristics were also reviewed.
RESULTS
The frequency of BCE expressed as a percentage of the total number of new patients increased from 0.10% in 1978 to 0.76% in 1997. The ratio of man to woman with BCE was 1 : 1.1 with a mean age of 61.8 years. Most cases of BCE were on the face (90.8%), especially on the nose (29%). The solid type (66.7%) was the most common pathologic pattern, followed by the adenoid type (9.7%), and the morpheic type (8.6%). The pigmented type of BCE accounted for 41.9%.
CONCLUSION
The incidence of BCE has increased during the past 20 years. However, the age of occurrence, common site, and pathologic patterns did not show a significant difference from Caucasians, except for a higher frequency of pigmented type BCE, as can be expected in oriental people.