CYTOLOGICAL ASPECTS ON THE DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS OF BASAL-CELL CARCINOMA

Basal cell carcinoma is a common cancer of the skin with characteristic histological features. A total of 200 skin lesions suggestive of basal cell carcinoma were compared by cytology and histology. In 188 cases cytology and histology correlated, 2 cases were false-negative, and 4 cases false-positive. In 6 cases the material was non-diagnostic. The characteristic cytologic feature of basal cell carcinoma allowed differentiation from other tumors of the skin. If the technique and preparation are adequate, cytology is highly diagnostic for basal cell carcinomas.