Simple 3-criteria-based ex vivo confocal diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Fast and simple microscopic evaluation of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) together with its subtype determination would accelerate diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in dermatology including Mohs surgery. OBJECTIVES: Assessing whether simplified 3-criteria-based ex vivo confocal microscopic (CM) examination can reliably predict BCC diagnosis and subtype. Analyzing interobserver agreement between expert and novice examiner. METHODS: CM images of 235 skin samples from 150 patients were prospectively evaluated by 2 blinded examiners for the presence of 3 predefined BCC criteria namely presence of tumor mass, peripheral palisading and clefting. RESULTS: Out of 235 skin samples 116 showed histological presence of BCC, confocally expert diagnosed a BCC in 110 and novice examiner in 107 samples. The overall sensitivity and specificity of detecting residual BCC was 96.6% and 98.7%, respectively. Confocally, examiners diagnosed correctly nodular BCC in 96.6%, respectively, 98.3%, superficial BCC in 96.8%, respectively, 93.5%, infiltrating BCC in 88.9%, respectively, 83.3% and other BCC subtype in 22.2%, respectively, 0% (expert and novice examiner, respectively). CONCLUSION: Ex vivo CM allowed intraoperative examination of BCC based on only 3-criteria with high sensitivity and specificity, provided useful information on tumor subtype and showed that both experienced and non-experienced examiners may use this diagnostic approach with excellent results.

Ex vivo confocal microscopy features of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Rapid microscopic evaluation of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), its grade of differentiation and level of invasiveness would enable better management of patients' therapy. OBJECTIVES: Analyzing specific ex vivo confocal microscopy criteria whether they can predict diagnosis of invasive SCC vs carcinoma in situ and poorly differentiated or undifferentiated vs well and moderately differentiated SCC. METHODS: Ex vivo confocal images of 102 SCCs in 57 patients were evaluated immediately after excision for the presence of predefined criteria based on confocal and histological knowledge. RESULTS: In histopathological examination, 30 SCCs were in situ and 72 invasive. Of these, 29 invasive SCC tumors were well, 19 moderately, 15 poorly differentiated and 9 undifferentiated. χ2 analysis demonstrated that presence of erosion/ulceration, plump bright or speckled cells in dermis, keratin pearls and peritumoral inflammatory infiltrate correlated with diagnosis of invasive SCC. Erosion/ulceration and peritumoral inflammatory infiltrate were observed more frequently in poorly differentiated or undifferentiated tumors. Plump bright or speckled cells in the dermis were observed less often in well-differentiated tumors. The presence of keratin pearls was associated with well or moderately differentiated tumors. CONCLUSION: Ex vivo CLSM allowed rapid examination of SCC and provided useful information on invasiveness and grading of the tumor.