However, superficial basal-cell cancer can present as a red patch similar to eczema. Infiltrative or morpheaform basal-cell cancers can present as a skin thickening or scar tissue – making diagnosis difficult without using tactile sensation and a skin biopsy. It is often difficult to visually distinguish basal-cell cancer from acne scar, actinic elastosis, and recent cryodestruction inflammation. Cause
The majority of basal-cell carcinomas occur on sun-exposed areas of the body. Pathophysiology
Basal-cell carcinoma is named after the basal cells that populate the lowest layer of the epidermis due to the histological appearance of the cancer cells under the microscope. Nevertheless, not all basal-cell carcinomas actually originate within the basal layer. Basal-cell carcinomas are thought to develop from the folliculo–sebaceous–apocrine germinative cells known as trichoblasts. Trichoblastic carcinoma is a term used to describe a rare and potentially aggressive malignancy that is also thought to arise from trichoblasts and may resemble a benign trichoblastoma (differential diagnosis can be challenging). It has been suggested that lesions diagnosed as trichoblastic carcinoma may actually themselves be basal-cell carcinoma.Overexposure to sun leads to the formation of thymine dimers, a form of DNA damage. While DNA repair removes most UV-induced damage, not all crosslinks are excised. There is, therefore, cumulative DNA damage leading to mutations. Apart from the mutagenesis, overexposure to sunlight depresses the local immune system, possibly decreasing immune surveillance for new tumor cells. Basal-cell carcinomas can often come in association with other lesions of the skin, such as actinic keratosis, seborrheic keratosis, squamous cell carcinoma.
Microvillus inclusion disease, previously known as Davidsons disease, congenital microvillus atrophy and, less specifically, microvillus atrophy (note: microvillus is often misspelled as microvillous), is a rare genetic disorder of the small intestine that is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. Presentation
It is characterized by chronic, intractable diarrhea in new-born infants, starting in the first few days of life. This results in metabolic acidosis and severe dehydration. Pregnancy and birth are usually normal. Pathophysiology
It is caused by a congenital villus atrophy, atrophy of apical microvilli and intracellular accumulation of apical enzymes and transporters in the epithelial cells of the small intestine. MVID is in ost cases caused by mutations in the MYO5B gene. A minority of cases involves mutations in the STX3 gene. Diagnosis
Prenatal screening in utero is currently offered by several medical centers since the gene(s) involved in the disease were recently discovered to be MYO5B; Diagnosis is typically made by biopsy of the small intestine. Biopsy
The appearance of microvillous inclusion disease on light microscopy is similar to celiac sprue; however, it usually lacks the intraepithelial lymphocytic infiltration characteristic of celiac sprue and stains positive for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The definitive diagnosis is dependent on electron microscopy. Differential diagnosis
The differential diagnosis of chronic and intractable diarrhea is:
Intestinal epithelial dysplasia
Syndromatic diarrhea
Immunoinflammatory enteropathy

Prognosis
It is nearly always fatal unless, like short bowel syndrome patients, treated with parenteral nutrition or an intestinal transplant.