Punch Biopsy Required for Superficial Basal Cell Carcinoma
A 40-year-old man sought advice regarding therapeutic options for an asymptomatic, “red spot” on the flank. Review of systems was entirely negative.
A 40-year-old man sought advice regarding therapeutic options for an asymptomatic, “red spot” on the flank. Review of systems was entirely negative. Family history was strongly positive for non-melanoma skin cancers.
Key point: There is no way to accurately diagnose this small, non-descript lesion by observation alone. A 2 mm punch biopsy revealed superficial basal cell carcinoma.
Treatment: Imiquimod 5% cream was applied at bedtime 5 days weekly for 6 weeks. The lesion cleared clinically by the end of this course.
Note: The differential includes both benign entities which can be ignored (eg, lichenoid keratoses) and malignancies that require more vigorous intervention (eg, squamous cell carcinoma in-situ.
Lebrikizumab Demonstrates Efficacy, Safety in Patients With Skin of Color With AD
June 11th 2025RAD 2025. Lebrikizumab improved skin clearance, itch, and pigmentation in patients with skin of color and atopic dermatitis, with strong safety data through 24 weeks, according to late-breaking data.
