Skin basal cell carcinoma lesion classification

Basal cell carcinoma is a low-grade malignant skin tumor originating from the basal cells of the skin or its appendages, especially the hair follicles. It grows slowly and is locally destructive, but rarely metastasizes, and the prognosis is generally good. This disease is prone to occur in exposed areas of the elderly, and the lesions are often single. Clinically, it can be divided into the following four types according to the different types of lesions:

Nodular ulcerative type

This type is the most common basal cell carcinoma, which is prone to occur on the face, especially the cheeks, paranasal grooves, forehead, etc. The lesions are initially grayish white or waxy nodules with a hard texture, which slowly increase in size and ulcerate. They are surrounded by pearly raised edges that curl inward, which are called erosive ulcers.

Superficial

This type often occurs on the trunk, especially the back and chest. The lesions are one or more slightly infiltrative red scaly patches that can slowly expand to the surrounding area, with clear boundaries, often surrounded by fine linear pearly edges, and small superficial ulcers and scabs can be seen on the surface. After healing, smooth atrophic scars are left.

Scleroderma-like or scleroderma-like

This type is relatively rare and often occurs alone on the head and face. The lesions are flat or slightly depressed yellow-white waxy sclerotic plaques without raised edges, ulcers, or crusts, similar to localized scleroderma. The course of the disease progresses slowly.

Pigment type

This type of skin lesions is similar to the nodular ulcerative type, but the lesions are mostly brown or dark black, with darker edges and dotted or reticular shapes in the center, and can be easily misdiagnosed as melanoma.