Pigmented basal cell carcinoma

Abstract

While the majority of basal cell carcinomas are morphologically and histologically devoid of melanin pigmentation, a proportion are pigmented. The best estimate of the incidence of pigmented basal cell carcinomas as a percentage of all basal cell carcinomas in a predominately white skin population is 6.7% [1]; however, it is clear that there is a strong racial predilection, with the majority of basal cell carcinomas in Asian skin being pigmented (with series showing 55% in Koreans [2] and 75% in Japan [3]), and Hispanics having twice the frequency of non-Hispanics [4]. © 2007 Springer-Verlag.