+ General Considerations
- Benign tumor arising from basal cells of the epidermis, hair follicles, or sweat or sebaceous glands
- Basal cell carcinomas may be induced by ultraviolet radiation
- Sites: head, neck, and shoulders
- Gross appearance: solitary, well-circumscribed, freely movable, and pigmented, solid, or cystic ± ulcerated in cats
- Metastasis is rare but local tumor recurrence after incomplete excision is possible
- Treatment: surgery or cryosurgery (if < 1 cm)
- Prognosis: excellent
+ Feline Basal Cell Carcinoma
- Basal cell carcinomas are more common in cats (representing 11%-28% of skin tumors and 3%-6% of all feline tumors) and is the most common melanotic tumor of cats
- Mean age 10-11 years
- No breed or sex predilection
- Histologic subclassification: solid, cystic, ribbon, and medusoid
- Basal cell carcinomas have a benign biologic behaviour
- 10% are classified as malignant but 1% (1/97) local tumor recurrence rate and 0% (0/124) metastasis rate
- Malignant basal cell carcinoma has been reported in 2 cats