Linear Basal Cell Carcinomas
May 1999
in “
Dermatologic Surgery
”
TLDR Dr. Connelly agrees that linear basal cell carcinomas might be more aggressive but highlights the study's lack of clear criteria to identify them.
In a letter to the editor, Dr. Thomas Connelly critiques a study by Drs. Lim et al. on linear basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), which was published in Dermatol Surg 1999; 25: 63-7. Dr. Connelly, who has treated over ten thousand BCCs, acknowledges the authors' conclusion that linear BCCs may be a more aggressive subtype. However, he points out that the study lacks a clear definition of the clinical and histopathologic characteristics of linear BCCs. He emphasizes the need for a precise definition to identify cases of this subtype accurately and criticizes the study for not providing the necessary criteria to classify cases prospectively, which he considers a fundamental aspect of the scientific method.
