Introduction: The course and prognosis of basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) are not well known.
Objectives: To study the course and prognosis in a population of BSCC patients.
Materials and methods: We analyzed a retrospective cohort of 49 patients with BSCC in comparison with a cross-matched population of 49 patients treated for well- to moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
Results: The statistical analysis showed that survival in BSCC group was lower than in the SCC group. Local recurrence in the BSCC group was not higher than in the SCC group, but mortality by distant metastasis was six times higher than in the SCC population.
Conclusions: We consider BSCC patients as a high-risk population and we complete diagnosis explorations including a FDG-PET before curative treatment. We also recommend post-operative or exclusive radiotherapy which may be associated with concomitant chemotherapy.