Basal cell carcinoma characteristics as predictors of depth of invasion.

Background: Pretreatment risk stratification of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is largely based on histologic subtype reported from biopsy specimens.

Objective: We sought to determine the degree of concordance between characteristics identified on biopsy specimen and excision and to determine if histologic characteristics other than subtype correlated with depth of invasion.

Methods: Histologic specimens of 100 BCC biopsy specimens and corresponding excisions were reviewed.