BACKGROUND: Basal cell Carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer and represents 75% of malignant epithelial tumors. It usually occurs on the face of white individuals aged over 40 years, with history of repetitive exposure to sunlight OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological data, clinical presentation and histopathological findings of 300 patients with basal cell carcinoma. CASUISTIC: A cross-sectional study of 300 patients with Basal cell Carcinoma seen at the outpatient Dermatology clinic from 1999 to 2003. Information was obtained on identification, exposure to sunlight and characterization of Basal cell Carcinoma. RESULTS: The pathological examinations confirmed the clinical diagnoses of 447 tumor lesions of 300 patients. Most patients were female (59.3%), white (93%), had exposure to sunlight (90.3%), with a single lesion (74%), involving predominantly the face (77% of the lesions). The most frequent pathological type was nodular carcinoma (46.3% of the lesions) and the superficial type predominated on the trunk. CONCLUSIONS: There was a predominance of female patients showing the current tendency of Basal cell Carcinoma. The presence of several successive or simultaneous tumors in the same patient emphasizes the importance of periodical exams in these patients. No exact correlation between exact clinical and pathological findings was established. The superficial type was confirmed as more frequent on the trunk.
Basal cell Carcinoma; Epidemiology; Skin neoplasms
