Clinicopathological profile of basal cell carcinoma: a retrospective study from Limpopo province, South Africa

Basal cell carcinoma is a non-melanoma skin cancer arising from basal epidermal keratinocytes. Its incidence is on the rise in the African continent and has been reported as the common skin malignancy worldwide, with a male predominance. The BCC subtypes are divided into low- and high-risk types based on prognostic characteristics. This study aimed to describe the demographic and clinicopathological characteristics of basal cell carcinoma cases from a predominantly native African population.A retrospective descriptive case series reviewed histopathological reports and archival slides of 86 basal cell carcinoma cases diagnosed at the National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH), Pathology Division, from 1 January 2017 to 31 June 2021. Data were retrieved from the laboratory information system, captured into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and then analysed using STATA v.18.The mean age for the 86 study cases was 61 years, with a higher prevalence of BCC in females (64%). Most BCC lesions, 46 (53.5%), were located at the head and neck region. The low-risk nodular (45.4%; n = 39), the high-risk infiltrative (6.0%; n = 6) and basosquamous (5.8%; n = 5) were the most diagnosed BCC histopathological subtypes. Solar damage was recorded in (53.5%; n = 46) cases. Solar elastosis was associated with BCC subtype (odds ratio, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.0–6.3; P = 0.041).Basal cell carcinoma was more common in African females in their sixth decade. Age and nodular histopathological subtypes are consistent with most previous studies. These study findings highlight the growing incidence of BCC in the African population.