BASALOID BRONCHIAL-CARCINOMA - A HISTOLOGIC GROUP WITH A POOR-PROGNOSIS

Background. Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) have been described in variou s locations, such as skin, anal canal, tongue, larynx, and recently, t he lungs. These tumors seem to have a poor prognosis. Methods. A serie s of 115 surgically resected lung tumors, previously classified as poo rly or undifferentiated carcinoma, were reviewed retrospectively. From these, 37 cases were reclassified as BCCs and were compared in terms of clinical features and survival, with 40 cases reclassified as poorl y differentiated squamous cell (PDSC) carcinoma of the lung. Results. There was no difference between the groups regarding age, clinical pre sentation, pattern of relapse, and cause of death. Median and overall survival were different between the two groups, especially for Stage I and II patients: 5-year actuarial survival in the BCC group was 15% a nd in the PDSC group 47% (P = 0.004). Conclusions. This subset of non- small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has a worse prognosis than other NSCLC, and this should be considered in survival studies and new treatment t rials.