General Considerations

•benign tumor arising from basal cells of the epidermis, hair follicles, or sweat or sebaceous glands

•basal cell carcinomas may be induced by ultraviolet radiation

•sites: head, neck, and shoulders

•gross appearance: solitary, well-circumscribed, freely movable, and pigmented, solid, or cystic ± ulcerated in cats

•metastasis is rare but local tumor recurrence after incomplete excision is possible

•treatment: surgery or cryosurgery (if < 1 cm)

•prognosis: excellent

Feline Basal Cell Carcinoma

•basal cell carcinomas are more common in cats (representing 11%-28% of skin tumors and 3%-6% of all feline tumors) and is the most common melanotic tumor of cats

•mean age 10-11 years

•no breed or sex predilection

•histologic subclassification: solid, cystic, ribbon, and medusoid

•basal cell carcinomas have a benign biologic behaviour

•10% are classified as malignant but 1% (1/97) local tumor recurrence rate and 0% (0/124) metastasis rate

•malignant basal cell carcinoma has been reported in 2 cats