Penis & scrotum
Other tumors
Basal cell carcinoma
Authors: Alcides Chaux, M.D., Antonio L. Cubilla, M.D.
Last author update: 1 April 2010
Last staff update: 20 September 2023
Copyright: 2002-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Basal cell carcinoma penis
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Epidemiology | Sites | Etiology | Clinical features | Prognostic factors | Case reports | Treatment | Clinical images | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Differential diagnosisCite this page: Chaux A, Cubilla AL. Basal cell carcinoma. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/penscrotumbcc.html. Accessed April 16th, 2024.
Definition / general
- Similar to counterpart in skin (see skin - nonmelanocytic tumor chapter)
- ICD-0: 8090 / 3
Epidemiology
- Very rare
Sites
- Most cases arise in skin of shaft, may be multicentric
Etiology
- No evidence of HPV infection
- Typically develops on sun exposed skin and is closely associated with ultraviolet radiation
Clinical features
- Usually ages 40+ years (J Urol 1994;152:1557)
- Slowly growing hyperpigmented tumor
- Risk factors include ultraviolet and ionizing radiation, arsenic ingestion, immunosuppression and inherited syndromes, such as nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome and xeroderma pigmentosum
- Extremely low metastatic potential (J Am Acad Dermatol 2001;45:68)
Prognostic factors
- Multicentric and large tumors may present more aggressive behavior
Case reports
- 75 year old man with multicentric tumor and skin metastases (Scand J Plast Reconstr Surg Hand Surg 2002;36:180)
Treatment
- Excision
Clinical images
Images hosted on other servers:
Ulcer almost circumscribing penis and causing penis / scrotal edema
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Regular neoplastic nests with evident peripheral palisading
- No areas of central comedonecrosis
- Frequent myxoid stromal changes
Microscopic (histologic) images
AFIP images
Skin: not necessarily penis
Images hosted on other servers:
Skin - not necessarily penis
Differential diagnosis
- Basaloid carcinoma: involves glans not shaft, more pleomorphic neoplastic cells, frequent central comedonecrosis and absence of peripheral palisading
