Diagnostic challenges and influencing factors in non-melanoma skin
cancers: a retrospective analysis of basal cell carcinoma and squamous
cell carcinoma cases
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC) are the most
frequent cutaneous tumors globally. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and
squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) represent the most frequently encountered
representatives of this group and may represent a diagnosis challenge in
some circumstances of hard to differentiate tumors. The aim of this
study was to determine the factors that influence the diagnosis of NMSC
and their impact. Methods: A single center, descriptive, retrospective
study was performed, with a total of 866 cases from 678 patients from
2016-2022. Cases were then analyzed based on their histological
diagnosis and characteristics and the available clinical data. Results:
From the 866 cases, 709 were histologically diagnosed as BCC and 157 as
SCC. The clinical accuracy for BCCs was 95% whereas for SCCs was 62%
with both having large variations among attending dermatologists.
Clinical factors that were found to influence the diagnosis were:
advanced age (p<0.001), a biopsy beforehand (p=0.009), and
multiple diagnosis or uncertainty (p=0.005) were predictive for a final
diagnosis of SCC. Factors predicting BCCs were: the presence of multiple
lesions (p=0.032), presence of ulcerations (p<0.001), age under
50 (p=0.002). BCCs were more likely to be correctly diagnosed than SCC
(p<0.001). Cases with multiple BCCs were thinner compared to
single-lesion excisions (p<0.001). A tumor reduction was
observed after the 2020 the SARS-CoV-2 (p=0.023). Conclusions:
Differentiating NMSC can be challenging, but several trends have been
observed which may aide in further improving the diagnosis rates
especially for SCCs.