title: Metastatic basal cell carcinoma of the posterior neck: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: Although primary basal cell carcinoma (BCC) represents an extremely common malignancy, metastases derived from BCC are exceedingly rare. The prognosis for metastatic BCC is poor, and little consensus exists regarding predictive factors or optimal treatment strategies. Here, we present the case of a 63-year-old man with BCC of the neck who subsequently developed multiple metastases to subcutaneous tissue, lymph nodes, and the parotid gland. Risk factors and clinical features of metastatic BCC are reviewed, as is the relationship of histopathologic subtype to metastatic behavior. Current chemotherapeutic and targeted therapies also are discussed in the context of recent advances in molecular biology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Adrienne B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Gropper
authors.forename: Sasha D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Girouard
authors.forename: Lia P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Hojman
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiaohua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: George F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Ruth Ann
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Vleugels
mesh_terms: D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy