High discordance between punch biopsy and excision in establishing basal cell carcinoma subtype: analysis of 500 cases

Abstract

Punch biopsy has a high accuracy in single-type BCCs and a considerably lower accuracy in mixed-type BCCs for establishing BCC subtype compared to excision. The presence of an unsuspected aggressive subtype could explain therapy failure of non-surgical treatments like imiquimod or photodynamic therapy.