An Unusual Case of Mixed Superficial and Adenoid Basal Cell Carcinoma in a 57-year-old Filipino Female

Abstract

Introduction: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cutaneous malignancy worldwide often occurring in sun-exposed areas. While the nodular variant accounts for the majority of cases, the adenoid type is extremely rare, comprising about 1.3% of all BCCs. Contrary to the typical presentation of BCC, adenoid BCC features a large sized lesion and a tendency to involve non-sun exposed areas such as the trunk. This case study presents a unique form of mixed superficial and adenoid BCC in a 57-year-old Filipino female. Case Report: A 57-year-old female presented with a 2-year history of a slowly enlarging bluish-black plaque with rolled borders on the left flank with noted bleeding, pain, and pruritus. Dermoscopy revealed arborizing vessels, leaf-like structures, blue gray globules, and white streaks, consistent with BCC. Histopathology showed a diagnosis of a superficial and adenoid type of BCC. Conclusion: Encounters with unusual forms of cutaneous carcinoma may arise in dermatologic practice. Dermoscopy serves as a powerful tool in identifying suspicious lesions and a pre-operative biopsy is done to correlate with the clinical diagnosis. Hence, the dermatologist will be able to decide the appropriate treatment option based on the clinical presentation and histopathologic type.