About the disease
Basalioma is a type of cancer that develops in the basal cells, which are located in the deepest layer of the epidermis (the outer layer of the skin). It develops when basal cells start to proliferate in an unusual manner, usually due to long-term sun exposure. Malignant cells start to appear as patches that look like open sores on the skin. These sores can sometimes be pink or have the appearance of a shiny bump; other times they look like a scar.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, there are approximately 4 million new cases of basalioma every year. Statistics show that one out of three new cases of cancer are basalioma, making it the most common type of skin cancer. It is more common in elderly people, whose skin is not so resilient to the sun, and white people who live in sunny climates.
Basalioma may well be the most common type of cancer, but it almost never metastasizes. It usually stays in the location that was most exposed to the sun: the nose, cheekbones and hands being the most common places for this type of cancer to appear. It is rarely life-threatening and, upon treatment, the individual usually achieves full recovery with no recurrence. Nevertheless, doctors will advise their patients to avoid extreme sun exposure in future.
Although basalioma is rarely dangerous, it still needs to be treated in time, as it can leave scars which can sometimes be unsightly. Moreover, basalioma often needs to be resected, which can affect nerves and muscle tissue. In such cases, the treatment will be more complicated and have more side effects.
Symptoms
- An open sore
- A red patch on the skin
- The sore does not go away with usual remedies and creams
- A nodule or hard growth may be present
- The nodule may eventually become a scar
Diagnosis
- During a general examination, the doctor will examine the sore and will determine its nature. Very often, basaliomas are mistaken for eczema or another dermatological condition.
- A sample of the patient’s skin will be taken and later examined in the laboratory.
- The biopsy may need to be deeper in some cases, to allow the doctor to examine the affected basal cells. More often than not, this type of biopsy is not dangerous and rarely leaves a permanent scar.
Treatment
- Resection of the whole tumor is required, to prevent cancer from spreading.
- The patch of skin where malignant basal cells have accumulated is removed.
- If the patch is small, the patient will only have a slight scar. If the patch is somewhat larger, cosmetic skin graft surgery may be necessary.
- Micrographic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical procedure, whereby cancerous cells are removed layer by layer, to prevent proliferation.
Authors: Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova, Dr. Farrukh Ahmed
