A case study of bilateral cystic basal cell carcinoma in an albino

Abstract

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer. It occurs in young adults older than 50 years and it is often caused by chronic exposure to solar rays, which explains why it often affects the face. In patient who are not treated immediately, the tumour develops slowly, with locoregional extension, but it rarely metastasizes. We here report a very rare case of bilateral cystic basal cell carcinoma in an albino young adult aged 36 years. The patient had terebrant left brachial ulcero-budding infiltrating mass with bone erosion (pathological fracture of the humerus) evolving over the last 7 years as well as ulcero-budding secondarily infected mass in the cervicodorsal junction evolving over the last 6 months. During his 1 month stay in our hospital, he underwent transfusion of 6 units of isogroup isoRh 450cc and boric acid dressings were applied as a complement to antibiotic therapy and iron therapy. Given the poor general health of the patient (cachexia, chronic anemia, development of the cancerous lesions), amputation of the left upper member and cervicodorsal mass excision were controindicated. Multidisciplinary team opted for second line treatment, including chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Given the lack technical equipment, the patient was transferred out to Lusaka.