Pigmented basal cell carcinoma: investigation of 70 cases.
BACKGROUND
Pigmented basal cell carcinoma (PBCC) is a clinical and histologic variant of BCC.


OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to identify the histologic subtypes of BCC that were most often associated with pigment and to determine whether this correlated with outcome after excision.


METHODS
A series of PBCC was identified and the histologic subtype noted. Margins of all excisions were examined for residual tumor. These results were then compared with a series of nonpigmented BCCs.


RESULTS
In a series of 1039 consecutive BCCs, 70 (6.7%) contained pigment. The histologic growth pattern most frequently associated with pigment was the nodular/micronodular pattern (12.4%) followed by the nodular (7.7%), superficial (7.2%), micronodular (4.0%), and the nodular/micronodular/infiltrative (3.4%) patterns. Margins were examined for evidence of residual tumor in the 40 cases that were excised. In only one case (2.5%) was the margin positive for tumor. This was statistically significant (p less than 0.05) compared with 388 excisions of nonpigmented BCCs with comparable growth patterns in which 69 (17.7%) showed positive margins.


CONCLUSIONS
PBCC, as a clinical variant, is more frequently excised with adequate margins than are tumors of comparable histologic subtypes that do not contain pigment.
Maloney
M E
ME
Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey.
Jones
D B
DB
Sexton
F M
FM
D001706:Biopsy; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008543:Melanins / Q000032:analysis; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D008543:Melanins