A case of plantar basal cell carcinoma

Abstract

A case of plantar basal cell carcinoma is reported. The patient was a 70-year-old male with a black patch on the sole of his right foot for 2 years. Dermatological examination showed a demarcated 2 cm*3 cm black patch on the sole of the right foot. There was a superficial ulcer on the surface of the skin lesion, without redness, swelling, exudation, bleeding, pus, or tenderness. Dermoscopy showed yellow-white structure with a little blue-gray structure, and a few atypical ulcers with a few punctate blood vessels. Histopathological examination of the skin lesion showed tumor mass of basal cell carcinoma in the superficial dermis, and retraction spaces. It was diagnosed as basal cell carcinoma (superficial phenotype). Patient was treated with carbon dioxide fractional laser combined with 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy once a week for 4 weeks, followed by imiquimod cream, once every other day. After 2 months of treatment, the skin lesions resolved and the skin color became normal. No recurrence was found after 15 months of follow-up. The follow-up is still ongoing.

Keywords

• plantar
• basal cell carcinoma
• carbon dioxide fractional laser
• photodynamic therapy