Epidemiology: Most common skin cancer; rarely metastasize but locally invasive & destructive; recurrence risk is 30%
Morphology: Pearly translucent papule or plaque w/ telangiectasias, often eroded; can have globules of pigment; rolled border
Superficial variant: Poorly defined pink patches w/ scale (Ddx: SCC-IS, eczema)
Distribution: Can occur anywhere (∼ 33% in areas w/ o direct sun exposure), but most often on head/ neck (85%), 25% of all lesions occur on nose.
Diagnosis: Shave or punch bx
Treatment: Excision or electrodessication and curettage (ED& C) if superficial; topicals if superficial (imiquimod 5% crm or 5-FU 5% crm) > > cryotherapy; XRT considered for poor surgical candidates, debulking, or high-risk subtypes
Read:
AAFP article: Diagnosis and Treatment of Basal Cell and Squamous Cell Carcinoma, 2012 (http://www.aafp.org/afp/2012/0715/p161.html)