BASAL CELL CARCINOMA HAVING CLEAR CELL DIFFERENTIATION
Focal clear cell differentiation of this degree in basal cell carcinomas
is unusual but can lead to confusion if such an area constitutes most of
the tumor in a small biopsy. The clear area within such a tumor cell is,
for the most part, unilocular in contrast with the multilocular or bubbly
vacuoles of tumors having sebaceous differentiation. Parenthetically, clear
cell variants of squamous cell carcinoma, atypical fibroxanthoma, and a
variety of other tumors exist.
This is from the nose of an 84 year old male:
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Scan power view. The nests of small, darkly staining
cells peripheral to the clear cell population are unequivocal basal cell
carcinoma. |
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High power view of the area in the black rectangle. |
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High power view of the area in the red rectangle. |
To see another example of this type of tumor that is also focally pigmented,
click on ANOTHER.
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