Altough BCC lesions are usually readily identifiable, the diagnosis should always be histologically confirmed (via full-thickness biopsy done at the edge of the lesion).
List 2 tests for confirmation.
Which one is the first choice?
Excisional biopsy: (full-thickness biopsy or partial-thickness biopsy) first choice
Most accurate assessment of the histologic subtype of the tumor
Wedge biopsies: used to evaluate large lesions
What should be the initial clinical evaluation of BCC lesions?
Dermoscopy: initial clinical evaluation of suspected BCC lesions (dermoscopy cannot confirm BCC)
Which kind of biopsy is usually preferred?
Excisional > wedge
For lesions that are small enough to be fully removed without excessive cosmetic damage (e.g., lesion size < 5 mm), biopsies should be full-thickness and include normal as well as lesion tissue.
However, wedge biopsies only remove part of the lesion, whereas complete removal is preferred for suspected neoplasms when the size and location of the lesion allow.
Describe the histopathology
Palisading nuclei: nuclei appear aligned
Tumor cells appear similar to epidermal basal cells
Superficial BCC
BCC
Last changed2 years ago
