A 52-year-old woman has a papule on her nose that has rounded, pearly borders and a central red ulcer. She said she first noticed it several months ago and that it has slowly grown larger. The nurse suspects which condition?

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Basal cell carcinoma usually starts as a skin-colored papule that develops rounded, pearly borders with a central red ulcer. It is the most common form of skin cancer and grows slowly. Acne presents as pustules (turbid fluid filled cavities) that are circumscribed and elevated. Melanoma usually presents as brown (but can be other colors) lesions with irregular or notched borders and may have a flaking, scaling, or oozing texture. Squamous cell carcinoma present as an erythematous scaly patch with sharp margins, 1 cm or more. This description does not fit acne lesions. (See Table 12-11 for descriptions of melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma.)

A 52-Year-Old Woman Has a Papule on Her Nose That