Skin: basal cell tumor

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Sections available in full article Introduction, Presenting signs, Age predisposition, Breed predisposition, Cost considerations, Pathogenesis, Etiology, Pathophysiology, Timecourse (incubation, duration), Diagnosis, Client history, Clinical signs, Diagnostic investigation, Confirmation of diagnosis, Differential diagnosis, Treatment, Initial symptomatic treatment, Sequelae, Prognosis, Reasons for treatment failure, Sources, Publications, Vetstream contributor(s),
Contributors Mr David Scarff BVetMed CertSAD MRCVS
Ms Susan E Shaw BVSc (Hons) (Syd) MSc DipACVIM DipECVIM FACVSc MRCVS
Synonyms Basal cell epitheliomaBasaloma

Introduction

  • Cause : common epithelial neoplasm , possibly of hair follicle origin.
  • Signs :
    • Benign (usually).
    • Generally solitary, well circumscribed, slow growing.
    • Malignant (rarely): poorly circumscribed with scirrhous response.
  • Also oral lesion (separate entity).
  • Diagnosis : histopathology.
  • Treatment : surgical excision.
  • Prognosis : good.

Diagnosis

Clinical signs


Either Well circumscribed, firm, freely moveable, cutaneous nodule.
Or Not well circumscribed with scirrhous response.
  • Usually <4 cm (0.5-10 cm).
  • Ulcerated.
  • Multiple.

Diagnosis

Differential diagnosis

  • Localized inflammatory lesion.
  • Localized deep bacterial lesion.
  • Localized subcutaneous mycotic lesion, ie kerion.
  • Fibroma/fibrosarcoma Fibrosarcoma.
  • Squamous cell carcinoma Skin: squamous cell carcinoma.
  • Melanoma Skin: melanoma.
  • Sebaceous gland tumor Sebaceous gland: hyperplasia neoplasia.
  • Hair follicle tumor Hair follicle: neoplasia.
  • Follicular cyst Skin: cutaneous cysts (subdivision follicular cysts).
  • Histiocytoma Skin: histiocytoma.
  • Dermal tumors:
    • Mastocytoma Skin: mastocytoma.
    • Cutaneous lymphoma Lymphoma.
  • Hemangiopericytoma.

Sequelae

Prognosis

  • Good:
    • Surgical excision is curative.
    • Local recurrence rare.
    • Do not metastasize.

Reasons for treatment failure

  • Incorrect diagnosis.

Sources

Publications

Other sources of information

  • Meleo K A (1997) Tumors of the skin and associated structures. Vet Clin North Am 27 , 73-94.
  • Scott D W, Miller W H & Griffin C E (1995) Small Animal Dermatology. 5th edn. Philadelphia: W B Saunders. ISBN 0 7216 4850.
  • Yager J A & Wilcock B P (1994) Color Atlas and Text of Surgical Pathology of the Dog and Cat. London: Wolfe Publishing, Mosby Year Book Europe. ISBN 0 7234 1827 6.
  • Gross T L, Irkhe P J & Walder E J (1992) Veterinary Dermatopathology. St Louis: Mosby Year Book. ISBN 0 8016 5809 8.

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