This pilot clinical trial studies arsenic trioxide in treating patients with basal cell carcinoma. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as arsenic trioxide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stop them from dividing

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine whether administration of arsenic trioxide (ATO) to patients with basal cell carcinoma is associated with a reduction in Gli messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein levels in tumor biopsy samples, when compared to baseline levels.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine whether there is evidence of tumor size reduction of ATO against basal cell carcinoma in humans.

OUTLINE:

Patients receive arsenic trioxide intravenously (IV) over 2 hours on days 1-5. Courses repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

• Basal cell carcinoma (BCC)
• Ineligible for curative locoregional treatment and have either progressed on, did not tolerate, unwilling to try or ineligible for investigational smoothened antagonist such as vismodegib (GDC 0449), XL 139 (BMS 833923), IPI- 926, LDE225 and PF-04449913
• Life expectancy estimate > 3 months
• Performance status Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0-2
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mcL
• Platelets ≥ 100,000/mcL
• Total bilirubin within normal institutional limits
• Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase [SGPT]) ≤ 2.5 x institutional upper limit of normal
• Creatinine within normal institutional limits
• Corrected QT interval (QTC) by 12 lead electrocardiogram (EKG) < 450 msecs
• Serum potassium within normal limits
• Magnesium within normal limits
• Calcium within normal limits
• Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document
• Evaluable tumor and be potentially eligible for pre and post ATO tumor biopsy
• Receiving potassium wasting diuretics or amphotericin, while not excluded, must be noted to have theoretically increased arrhythmia risks with ATO

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

• Concurrent use of other Investigational agents
• Cardiac arrhythmias
• Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, recurrent seizure history or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
• Pregnant or lactating

Results will be submitted to scientific journal for publication and shared at scientific meetings

5 patients with BCC who are not eligible for curative loco-regional treatment and have either progressed on, did not tolerate, unwilling to try or ineligible for investigational smoothened antagonist such as GDC 0449, XL 139 (BMS 833923), IPI- 926, LDE225 and PF-04449913 and fit the inclusion/exclusion criteria

13 weeks