Basal Cell Carcinoma - Superficial

Synonyms: erythmatoid or pagetoid basal cell carcinoma

This article should be read in conjunction with the article Basal Cell Carcinoma (Rodent Ulcer).

Superficial basal cell carcinoma is a clinical subtype of basal cell carcinoma (BCC).

• An Australian study showed an incidence for superficial BCCs of 336/100,000 men and 251/100,000 women per annum.²
• Superficial BCCs occur at a younger age than other BCC variants, particularly in women.

There is a good photograph of a superficial BCC on the DermIS website.³

• Equal distribution over face, trunks and limbs - although site of predilection seems to vary according to sex (head in women, trunk in men).⁴
• Usually flat, pink to red-brown scaly plaque with central clearing and a thread-like border. If stretched, a rolled edge can be seen.
• Very slow growing but over months to years it may grow to become several centimetres in diameter.
• It may bleed or weep.

• Psoriasis
• Bowen's disease
• Solar keratosis
• Eczema
• Lichen simplex

• Usually not an aggressive form of BCC; rarely becomes invasive and extremely rarely metastasises.
• Compared to nodular BCCs, less likely to erode and ulcerate.
• Recurrent tumours have poorer cure rates compared to the treatment of primary tumours.
• Having had a BCC, increased risk of developing further lesions, particularly in those presenting with truncal lesions (hazard ratio 1.58).
• Increased risk of malignant melanoma, presumably as sun exposure is important in the causation of both.