Basal cell carcinoma on the vermilion border of the lip: a study of six cases.
BACKGROUND
The vermilion border of the lower lip is a frequent location of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), but it is very rarely mentioned within the published series of basal cell carcinomas (BCCs).


OBJECTIVE
We present 6 cases of BCC involving either mainly or exclusively the vermilion border of a lip.


METHODS
We reviewed from our files all the cases of BCC diagnosed in a period of 11 years.


RESULTS
A number of 3,477 BCCs were histologically diagnosed in that period; 2,872 (82.6%) of them were located on the head, and 66 (2.3%) of the latter (1.9% of all BCCs) were on the lips. In 6 cases, the neoplasm involved either mainly or exclusively the vermilion border of either the lower (5 cases) or the upper (1 case) lip.


CONCLUSIONS
Not every carcinoma of the vermilion border of the lip is a SCC.
de Sousa
J
J
Departamento de Dermatología, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, España.
Sánchez Yus
E
E
Rueda
M
M
Rojo
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology