title: Opting for Christian Science vs. surgical removal: a case report of a giant basal cell carcinoma arising on the back of a 66-year-old man.
abstract: Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer, with giant basal cell carcinoma comprising only 0.5 percent of all basal cell carcinomas. When a basal cell carcinoma is larger than 5 cm, it is designated as a giant basal cell carcinoma. Neglect is often a contributing factor to these lesions, and local recurrence and metastasis is not uncommon. Presented is a case of a 66-year-old man who presented with a chief complaint of increasing shortness of breath and fatigue. The patient was found to have a large 15 cm x 12 cm pedunculated tumor on his back that had been present for 10 years. The patient had forgone medical attention until presenting with a symptomatic anemia due to his belief in Christian Science, which relies on prayer and divine healing for the treatment of illness. Christian Scientists are allowed to see physicians, but they may present with advanced symptoms or disease presentations due to their beliefs. Fortunately, a computed tomography (CT) scan revealed that the tumor was confined to the skin, and biopsy revealed a basal cell carcinoma. Thus, the patient was able to undergo a wide local excision and split thickness skin graft with clear surgical margins.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Laudenschlager
authors.forename: Kent J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Donelan
authors.forename: Douglas W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: Phillip D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Stephenson
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Timmerman
authors.forename: Ali D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Jassim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001415:Back; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002835:Christianity; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008602:Mental Healing; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*