DERMOSCOPIC FEATURES OF BASAL CELL CARCINOMA: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Background: Basal cell carcinoma is one of the most common cancers in worldwide, is a locally destructive and slowly spreading tumor arising from the epidermis or hair follicles, in which the peripheral cells are similar to the cells of the basal layer of the epidermis and which rarely metastasizes. Despite its slow growth and low potential for metastasis, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is one of the most pressing problems in dermato-oncology due to its high incidence rates, variety of clinical forms and frequent relapses after any treatment methods. Currently, the most accessible non-invasive method for examining skin tumors is dermatoscopy. Aim: The purpose of this review is to highlight the dermoscopic features encountered in basal cell carcinoma and to outline the role of dermoscopy for diagnosis this cancer. Methodology: The systematic review included articles from Google Scholar, Medline, Scopus, Web Of Sciences, PubMed was conducted. For Search the following keywords: were included dermoscopy of pigmented form of basal cell carcinoma; dermoscopy of nonpigmented form of basal cell carcinoma. Results: Conducted a preliminary search and reviewed 62 titles and abstracts in this review and 27 full-text articles were selected of high methodological quality. Dermoscopy, a non-invasive technique, allows early diagnosis based on the presence of typical vascular structures, pigmented structures, and ulceration and the absence of specific melanocytic structures. However, the use of dermoscopic technique is limited by the lack of prognostically significant dermatoscopic criteria confirming the different morphological nature of tumor growth. Conclusion: The current systematic review demonstrated, based on the observed features, this method allows for differential diagnosis of malignant and benign, as well as melanocytic and non-melanocytic skin neoplasms, as well as diagnosis of tumors at the earliest stage of their development.