Superficial Basal Cell Carcinoma on the Back Region Treated with a Combination of Cryotherapy and 5% Imiquimod Cream: A Case Report

Abstract

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin malignancy, consisting of cells in the basal layer epidermis and its appendix. Superficial BCC is the second most common BCC subtype with a predilection on the trunk including the waist and can be treated with cryoimmunotherapy, a combination of cryotherapy and imiquimod cream. Herein, we report a case of superficial BCC in a 60-year-old woman which was triggered by short-wave diathermic (SWD) therapy on the waist one year previously. Superficial BCC was diagnosed based on clinical symptoms, a dermoscopy, and histopathology. The erythematous and hyperpigmented plaque on the waist had well-defined edges and bled easily. There were pseudopods, a blue-grey ovoid nest, haemorrhagic ulceration, and a deeply pigmented border with basaloid cells in the basal layer of the epidermis and palisade cells at the edges. The patient was treated with cryoimmunotherapy consisting of two cycles of a 30-second freeze time and a 5 mm margin, then two weeks later, 5% imiquimod cream was applied to the skin for five consecutive nights, followed by two days off for six cycles (six weeks). Follow-up at three months revealed clinical improvement with reduced lesion size, confirming that cryoimmunotherapy is an effective treatment for the management of superficial BCC with mild side effects.

Keywords:

• cryoimmunotherapy
• superficial basal cell carcinoma
• therapy

Ethic Statement

The publications of images were included in the patient’s consent for publication of the case. The case report has been approved by the institutional ethics committee of Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia (Ethical Clearance No.: LB.02.01/X.6.5/178/2023).

Consent for Publication

The patients provided written informed consent for the use of case details and images for publication and scientific purposes. Institutional approval was obtained to publish the case details.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the staff of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

The authors declare that this study has received no financial support.