Neurocritical Complications of Basal Cell Carcinoma With Intracranial Invasion

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for the majority of non-melanoma-type skin cancers. BCC is slow-growing and locally aggressive but rarely metastasizes.Although scarce, important consequences of untreated or recurrent BCC of the scalp are direct invasion into the skull, meninges, and/or brain. We describe a case of an adult male with a past medical history of basal cell nevus syndrome presenting with a BCC of the scalp complicated by intracranial extension. His critical condition resulted in complications including meningitis, seizures, and hypercoagulability, which ultimately resulted in the patient's death. This case reinforces the importance of routine follow-up as well as timely and aggressive treatment of skin cancer to prevent rare but severe systemic complications and neurologic sequelae.