Etymed
basal cell carcinoma
Definition
A type of skin cancer that begins in the basal cells of the epidermis
Clinical context
A 65-year-old man presents with a painless, slowly growing nodule on his nose that has been present for several months. The lesion has a pearly border and telangiectatic vessels, and biopsy reveals malignant cells originating from the basal layer of the epidermis. This patient has the most common form of skin cancer, which rarely metastasizes but can cause significant local tissue destruction if left untreated.
Mnemonic
BASAL = Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer that rarely metastasizes but causes local destruction