Basal Cell Carcinoma in a 12-Year-Old Boy

Abstract

Basal cell carcinomas are common skin tumors occurring in white adults that are mainly attributable to ultraviolet-B exposure.¹ They grow slowly, invade locally, and rarely metastasize.² Basal cell carcinomas appear most frequently on the head, neck, and upper extremities. The majority occur on the face and the relative risk for recurrent tumor is high in certain sites, especially the nose.³ It is uncommon to see actinically induced basal cell carcinomas in children. There are well documented associations of basal cell carcinomas in children with the nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, xeroderma pigmentosum, nevus sebaceus of Jadassohn, preceding exposure to x-irradiation, or preceding scar from a burn or trauma.^4-10