[Skin carcinoma arising from scar (a report of 6 cases)]

In the past 20 years, we had seen 6 patients of carcinoma arising from scar, accounting for 0.78% (6/765) of all inpatients with scars and 17% (6/35) of all skin carcinoma patients. The causes were thermal burn, radiation burn and trauma. In 2 cases of radiation burn, one was irradiated for the treatment of hairy legs with 60Co. The carcinoma was diagnosed 6 years after irradiation, and he died of bone sarcoma 12 years after irradiation. In a patient, X-ray irradiation was given for keratosis of the palm, and scar carcinoma of palm developed 22 years after radiation. Scar carcinoma is a highly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma in most of the cases. Because of scar fibrosis and thrombosis of blood vessel and lymphatic vessel, the growth of scar carcinoma is slow. The metastasis is restricted. If the carcinoma can be diagnosed and treated early, the prognosis is favorable. The principle of operation is wide excision of the lesion. In some cases amputation is a safe but radical surgery.