A Case of Super-giant Basal Cell Carcinoma Initially Diagnosed as Multiple Traumas

• Published in: Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open 2023-02, Vol.11 (2), p.e4812-e4812
• Main Authors: Okano, Junko, Arata, Jun, Arakawa, Atsuhiro, Ogino, Shuichi, Yamashita, Teruyo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Case Report; Reconstructive
• ISSN: 2169-7574; 2169-7574
• DOI: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000004812

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), which is relatively easy to diagnose in a clinical setting, is the most common malignant tumor in the skin. Conversely, a giant BCC, a tumor beyond 5 cm in diameter, is a rare disease. In particular, a giant BCC beyond 20 cm in diameter is called a super-giant BCC, which frequently invades into deeper tissues, including the dermis, bones, or muscles. Here, we present a case of a 71-year-old patient who was initially diagnosed with multiple traumas with a large periosteal defect of the head. The ulcer was surrounded by malodorous necrotic tissue and slough, and several bacteria that caused necrotizing fasciitis were detected. Mapping biopsies after extensive debridement yielded BCC, and therefore, he was finally diagnosed with a super-giant BCC. A careful consultation revealed a history of ulcer on the head after a head injury approximately 10 years ago. He underwent radical dissection including the external table of the skull, followed by a free latissimus dorsi muscle flap with a meshed split-thickness skin graft. Because of the slow and chronic development of a super-giant BCC, accurate diagnosis is often difficult. Careful attention should be paid in patients with long-sustained ulcers.