A Case of Basal Cell Carcinoma Presenting as a Cyst Occurred in the Dermis

Ki, Ho Gyun; Yun, Sook Jung; Lee, Jee Bum; Kim, Seong Jin; Won, Young Ho; Lee, Seung Chul

Abstract

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a tumor arising from pluripotential cells found within the basal cell layer of the epidermis or various pilosebaceous units and usually shows some epidermal connection. Occasionally BCC shows no epidermal connection and is located deep in the subepidermal tissues. In these cases, BCC originates from the lower parts of the pilosebaceous apparatus or from other epithelial structures such as epidermoid cysts. A 74-year-old man visited our department complaining of a cystic mass above his right lip angle which had been present for 1 year. He had a warty nodule on the same site and the lesion had been excised about 15 years ago. We performed surgical removal following the diagnosis of an epidermal cyst. But histopathologic examination revealed a ermal mass of various shapes and sizes composed of basophilic tumor cells without epidermal connection, central cystic degeneration and peritumoral lacunnae. Thus we diagnosed this case as BCC presenting as a cyst without epidermal connection.