Francesca Peccerillo1, Victor Desmond Mandel1, Francesca Di Tullio1, Silvana Ciardo1, Johanna Chester1, Shaniko Kaleci1, Nathalie de Carvalho1,2, Ester Del Duca3, Luca Giannetti2, Laura Mazzoni4, Steven Paul Nisticò5, Ignazio Stanganelli4,6, Giovanni Pellacani1, Francesca Farnetani7. 1. Dermatology Unit, Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences with Interest Transplant, Oncological and Regenerative Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy. 2. Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences with Interest Transplant, Oncological and Regenerative Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy. 3. Division of Dermatology, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. 4. Skin Cancer Unit, Scientific Institute of Romagna for the Study and Treatment of Cancer, IRCSS, IRST, Meldola, Italy. 5. Dermatology Department of Health Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy. 6. Department of Dermatology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy. 7. Dermatology Unit, Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences with Interest Transplant, Oncological and Regenerative Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy, farnetani.francesca@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Atypical basal cell carcinoma (BCC), characterized by equivocal dermoscopic features typical of malignant melanoma (MM), can be difficult to diagnose. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) enables in vivo imaging at nearly histological resolution. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate with RCM atypical melanocytic lesions identified in dermoscopy, according to common RCM criteria for the differential diagnosis of BCC, and to identify representative RCM parameters for superficial (sBCCs) and nonsuperficial (nsBCCs) basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients evaluated with RCM, selecting excised lesions classified at dermoscopy with ≥1 score from the re visited 7-point checklist, mimicking melanoma, registered between 2010 and 2016. Cluster analysis identified BCC subclassifications. RESULTS: Of 178 atypical lesions, 34 lesions were diagnosed as BCCs with RCM. Lesions were confirmed BCCs with histopathology. Dermoscopic features included atypical network (55.9%) and regression structures (35.5%) associated with sBCCs, and an atypical vascular pattern (58.8%) and irregular blotches (58.8%) with nsBCCs. Hierarchical cluster analysis identified 2 clusters: cluster 1 (100% sBCCs) was characterized by the presence of cords connected to the epidermis (90%, p < 0.001), tumor islands located in the epidermis (100%, p < 0.001), smaller vascular diameter (100%, p < 0.001) and solar elastosis (90%, p = 0.017), and cluster 2 (nsBCCs 85%) was defined by the dermic location of tumor islands (87.5%, p < 0.001) with branch-like structures (70.8%, p = 0.007) and surrounding collagen (83.3%, p = 0.012), peripheral palisading (83.3%, p = 0.012) and coiled vascular morphology (79.2%, p < 0.001) with a larger vascular diameter (50%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: RCM is able to diagnose BCCs mimicking melanoma at dermoscopy and seems able to identify sBCCs and nsBCCs.
BACKGROUND: Atypical basal cell carcinoma (BCC), characterized by equivocal dermoscopic features typical of malignant melanoma (MM), can be difficult to diagnose. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) enables in vivo imaging at nearly histological resolution. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate with RCM atypical melanocytic lesions identified in dermoscopy, according to common RCM criteria for the differential diagnosis of BCC, and to identify representative RCM parameters for superficial (sBCCs) and nonsuperficial (nsBCCs) basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients evaluated with RCM, selecting excised lesions classified at dermoscopy with ≥1 score from the re visited 7-point checklist, mimicking melanoma, registered between 2010 and 2016. Cluster analysis identified BCC subclassifications. RESULTS: Of 178 atypical lesions, 34 lesions were diagnosed as BCCs with RCM. Lesions were confirmed BCCs with histopathology. Dermoscopic features included atypical network (55.9%) and regression structures (35.5%) associated with sBCCs, and an atypical vascular pattern (58.8%) and irregular blotches (58.8%) with nsBCCs. Hierarchical cluster analysis identified 2 clusters: cluster 1 (100% sBCCs) was characterized by the presence of cords connected to the epidermis (90%, p < 0.001), tumor islands located in the epidermis (100%, p < 0.001), smaller vascular diameter (100%, p < 0.001) and solar elastosis (90%, p = 0.017), and cluster 2 (nsBCCs 85%) was defined by the dermic location of tumor islands (87.5%, p < 0.001) with branch-like structures (70.8%, p = 0.007) and surrounding collagen (83.3%, p = 0.012), peripheral palisading (83.3%, p = 0.012) and coiled vascular morphology (79.2%, p < 0.001) with a larger vascular diameter (50%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:RCM is able to diagnose BCCs mimicking melanoma at dermoscopy and seems able to identify sBCCs and nsBCCs.
Authors: Riccardo Pampena; Gabriele Parisi; Mattia Benati; Stefania Borsari; Michela Lai; Giovanni Paolino; Anna Maria Cesinaro; Silvana Ciardo; Francesca Farnetani; Sara Bassoli; Giuseppe Argenziano; Giovanni Pellacani; Caterina Longo Journal: Front Oncol Date: 2021-02-19 Impact factor: 6.244