Dermatology — Basal Cell Carcinoma

A 62-year-old man with fair skin and a history of outdoor occupational work presents with a slowly growing, painless lesion on the tip of his nose. On examination, the lesion shows a pearly, translucent papule with a rolled waxy border, prominent overlying blood vessels, and a central depression with crusting. The structure marked **A** in the diagram is suspected. Which of the following statements about this lesion is most consistent with current understanding of its pathogenesis and clinical behavior?