title: Cystic basal cell carcinoma or hidrocytoma? The use of an excisional biopsy in a histopathologically challenging case.
abstract: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) has many histologic variants. These variants may show differentiation toward benign and malignant tumors of cutaneous appendages, especially hair follicles. Herein we describe a lesion that was clinically thought to be a BCC, but a superficial biopsy showed histologic features suggestive of an apocrine hidrocystoma. Because of some cytologic atypia, complete excision was recommended. The excision specimen revealed a cystic BCC. The importance of examining the entire neoplasm before reaching a final pathologic diagnosis is emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, The Milton S Hershey Medical Center, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
authors.forename: Tamy B H
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Buckel
authors.forename: Klaus F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Helm
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Ioffreda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001050:Apocrine Glands / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D018251:Hidrocystoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D013544:Sweat Gland Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery