Morphea-like Epithelioma

Morphea-like epithelioma is a controversial tumor and many cases have been reported erroneously under this heading.1The diagnosis does not seem to have a uniform picture to all dermatologists, and American and European authors have used the term with different meanings.2 To many dermatologists in the United States the term "morphea-like epithelioma" has meant a superficial cicatrizing basal-cell carcinoma, the so-called "field fire" epithelioma, which resembles localized scleroderma only in its central, partially healed portion. We believe that superficial cicatrizing basalcell epithelioma and morphea-like epithelioma are not alike clinically or histologically and that they differ also in their behavior, prognosis, and response to treatment. We agree with Vilanova3,4that of the many epitheliomas that have been labeled as morphea-like only one form merits that designation and that is the relatively rare primary sclerodermiform basal-cell carcinoma. Excluded from this group