Rippled-pattern basal cell carcinoma: a unique characteristic of an otherwise common diagnosis

Herein we present a 48-year-old man who was diagnosed with a nodular basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the left chin that was revealed on Mohs frozen sections to be a rippled-pattern BCC with invasion into muscle and necessitated interdisciplinary care for concern for a concurrent salivary gland carcinoma. Rippled-pattern BCC has been documented in fewer than ten cases, though this may also be attributed to confusion regarding nomenclature. Microscopically, rippled-pattern BCC exhibits distinctive features that differentiates it from other patterns. The tumor cells form interconnected networks or cords with intervening mucinous spaces within a fibrotic stroma resulting in a rippled appearance. As they are generally considered nodular BCCs, management of rippled-pattern BCCs can involve surgical excision, Mohs micrographic surgery, or other appropriate treatment modalities based on the tumor's location, size, and degree of invasion.`.