Four clinical classifications of basal cell carcinoma of the skin

Basal cell carcinoma is a common type of skin cancer. It is more likely to occur in areas that are frequently exposed to sunlight, such as the face, around the eyes, and the nose, but less frequently on the limbs and trunk. The most typical early symptoms of basal cell carcinoma are pearly, translucent papular nodules with dilated capillaries. As the disease progresses, scaly desquamation will occur on the surface, followed by erosion. As the lesion continues to expand, it will become a surface ulcer with jagged edges that resemble worm-eaten areas.

According to the clinical manifestations and pathological characteristics of basal cell carcinoma, it can be divided into the following types:

Nodular ulcerative type

This type is the most common type of basal cell carcinoma, which is prone to occur in the head and neck. In the early stages of the disease, it often manifests as a single, translucent small nodule with capillary dilation. As the cancerous site slowly develops, the center will rupture to form an ulcer, and the surrounding area will gradually bulge with uneven edges like a rat bite.

Superficial

This type of basal cell carcinoma is common on the trunk and limbs, often presenting as single or multiple light red patches or spots with clearly defined edges and often scaling on the surface. It grows slowly and may undergo changes such as erosion as the disease progresses.

Hardening type

This type of basal cell carcinoma is prone to occur on the face, often manifesting as flat or slightly depressed invasive plaques, similar to localized scleroderma, growing slowly, and may not have central ulceration.

Pigment type

The most typical manifestation of this type of basal cell carcinoma is that the lesion site shows varying degrees of pigmentation, ranging from white-gray to dark black, and is unevenly distributed. The edges are generally darker, while the central part is distributed in a dot-like or reticular manner.