Treatment of pigmented basal cell carcinoma with carbon dioxide laser.

Seven patients with nine primary well-defined pigmented basal cell carcinomas (BCC), regardless of size, were successfully treated with carbon dioxide laser. There has been no evidence of recurrence in the 3 months to 2 years following surgery. This may be the result of the dermal pigment at the lesion shoulder that more clearly marks the tumor margin. However, if the tumor was located in the reticular dermis, healing occurred with an atrophic scar. Surgical excision is recommended in cases of deep BCCs located in the convex area in terms of cosmetic results. It is therefore suggested that, in addition to the BCC subtype, the depth of invasion should always be stated in the routine histopathological report in order to determine the most appropriate treatment.