Introduction
Every summer numerous doctors and companies warn of skin cancer. Mostly the well-known “black” skin cancer is mentioned, but “white” skin cancer, which includes squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma (basalioma) of the skin, also carries its risks. Although a basal cell carcinoma only metastasizes in rare cases and is therefore rarely fatal, its destructive (destructive) growth can lead to disfigurement of the face, which is one of the predilection sites for the development of a basal cell carcinoma (on the ear, for example).
A basal cell carcinoma is a skin tumour that develops from special cells in the epidermis, the so-called basal cells. Over several months and years, a small, coarse lump forms at the affected area, which often goes unnoticed for years. The basal cell carcinoma is called a white skin cancer together with the spinalioma (squamous cell carcinoma) and is usually rarely fatal, in contrast to the malignant black skin cancer (melanoma).
Typical for basaliomas is their slow suppressive growth. Although they do not form metastases (daughter tumours), they grow infiltratively into adjacent tissue and destroy it. In the worst case, this can lead to disfigurement of the affected skin area (e.g. face or ear) or to the destruction of vital structures such as vessels and nerves.
For this reason, physicians refer to basal cell carcinoma as a semi-malignant tumor. As with so many things in medicine, basal cell carcinoma can take on different forms. Typical for every basal cell carcinoma is the spherical, raised form; the surface covered by vessels and a pearl-like rim.
One manifestation of the basal cell carcinoma of the ear is the solid or knotty basal cell carcinoma. This refers to a skin-colored, hemispherical tumor covered by small, tortuous blood vessels (the so-called telangiectasia). Another form is the cicatrising basal cell carcinoma, which is an inwardly growing tumour with a dented centre.
Doctors also call this indentation “melting”. A typical feature is the pearl-like change at the edge of the tumour. Another form of basalioma is the sclerodermiform basalioma.
This type of basal cell carcinoma often remains undetected because it lacks the typical telangiectasia and pearl-like changes at the edge. The only conspicuous feature here is a hardened, skin-coloured surface. Other forms of basal cell carcinoma are the exuding basal cell carcinoma (ulcer roden), which grows mainly in width and length but not in depth, and the destructive basal cell carcinoma (ulcer terebans), which grows mainly in depth and often leads to bleeding due to the destruction of cartilage and bone tissue. Other forms are the pigmented basal cell carcinoma, which often appears highly pigmented and nodular; and the superficial basal cell carcinoma, which is often found in older people with psoriasis who have been treated with arsenic. Typical here are sharply defined, reddish-brown skin lesions.
