Two Cases of Pigmented Basal Cell Carcinoma in African American Patients

Authors

Angelique Ruml
Joan K Fernandez
Ibeth Caceres
Nisha Ramani
Ida Orengo
Theodore Rosen

Publication Date

6-1-2024

Journal

Cureus

DOI

10.7759/cureus.62862

PMID

39040767

PMCID

PMC11260829

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

6-21-2024

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Published Open-Access

yes

Keywords

nonmelanoma skin cancer, skin of color, nevus sebaceous, basal cell carcinoma, pigmented basal cell carcinoma, case report

Abstract

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cutaneous malignancy, comprising approximately 80% of non-melanoma skin cancers. There are numerous subtypes, including pigmented basal cell carcinoma (pBCC), a rare clinical and histological variant. Skin cancers in African American patients, although rare, still do occur. BCC is an uncommon neoplasm in this population, but when it does occur, pigmentation is present in more than 50% of tumors compared with only 5% to 6% of BCCs in Caucasians. This report presents two cases of histologically verified pBCC in African American patients from dermatology clinics at the Veterans Affairs Hospital located in the Texas Medical Center. With the population of the United States growing more diverse, these cases emphasize the importance of recognizing the nuanced morphology of BCC in the skin of color compared to lighter-skinned counterparts. This is especially necessary, as early detection and prompt management are key to combating the disproportionately high morbidity and mortality related to skin cancers affecting patients of color.