Basal cell carcinoma in the groin of a black patient with femoral vessel invasion and a second primary malignancy.

Abstract

We have presented an unusual case of basal cell carcinoma that presented in a 76-year-old black woman. This is an atypical case in that it occurred in a black patient, and the incidence of basal cell carcinoma is low in black people. The lesion was located in the groin, which is an uncommon location for basal cell carcinoma. The femoral vessels in this patient also were invaded by the tumor, which is also a very rare occurrence. The patient in this report had a coexisting squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, which may be a common finding in black patients with basal cell carcinoma. It is extremely important for the physician to include skin cancer in the differential diagnosis of any suspicious skin lesion. This will avoid delays in treatment and decrease the overall morbidity. The physician who encounters a black patient with a basal cell carcinoma also should screen the patient for a coexisting noncutaneous malignancy.